Grand-Slam Sinks Tigers

Just a few mistakes can be the difference between a win and a loss. That was a lesson the Middleton High School baseball team learned the hard way Friday night, falling at home to Jefferson, 9-7.

 It was a fourth-inning grand-slam that gave the Dragons the lead they rode to victory, improving to 8-0 on the season.

“After walking to batters I knew I had to throw a strike,” said Middleton’s starting pitcher, senior Eric Comstock. “I knew it was going to happen as soon as I threw it. It was right down the middle.”

“That was a game-breaker,” said Middleton head coach Vernon Slater. “One swing can charge the game. That’s how it is in baseball.”

The Tigers threaten in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases, and pulling to within two runs. From the third base line coach Slater motivated his team as they strung together four straight singles.

“I thought it was going to happen,” he said. “We were in a good part of the line-up.”

While Coach Slater was disappointed with the way the team played defensively, and those pesky errors that once again kept the team from picking up the win, he was pleased with the way the Tigers swung the bat.

“Defensive-wise, we still aren’t where we need to be yet. We’ve been getting-by by out-hitting teams.”

The six runs they scored on a defensively dominant Jefferson squad was the most the Dragons had given up all season.

With the loss the Tigers drop to 5-3, and fall two games behind Jefferson in 4A district league play.

Middleton will be back in action Tuesday night looking to bring an end to their two-game skid as they host the Strawberry Crest Chargers (7-4)

As the Tigers prepare for the Chargers, Coach Slater says they’ll be working on making the routine plays in practice. Heading down the stretch, they need to eliminate the mental mistakes that have already cost the team a few games.

“We are going for the win,” said junior second-baseman Ronald Blaylock.

“We have to pull off a win to stay in the hunt for districts,” admitted Eric Comstock.