HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – West Point traveled to Toyota Field in Huntsville to battle Scottsboro Saturday night and like they already have several times this season, the Warriors walked it off in the final frame to pick up a 10-9 win over the Wildcats. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Eli Folds ripped a double into right field to bring Andrew Putman all the way home to score from first base and lead West Point to the win.
The Wildcats got to Folds a little bit to start out the game. A leadoff walk, a wild pitch, and a ground out had their runner at third with one out. The base runner ended up stealing home to get Scottsboro on the scoreboard first. The Wildcats added to their lead in the top of the third inning. An error and a walk had them in business early and an RBI groundout made it 2-0, then a three-run, inside-the-park home run pushed their lead to 5-0.
West Point, though, answered right back in a big way in their half. Andrew Putman hit a one-out single to left field, then later moved to second on a passed ball. Folds lined an RBI single to right field to drive in Putman as that made it 5-1. Caiden Rodgers reached on a fielder’s choice and J.D. Cochran lined a single to left field to load the bases. Colton McCoy got hit by the pitch, Isaac Hoffpauir drew a walk, and Cade Simmons got hit by the pitch as well and Scottsboro’s lead, just like that, got trimmed to 5-4. An RBI fielder’s choice by Bryson Phillips tied the game up at five.
The Wildcats broke the tie in the top of the fourth as they loaded the bases with one out. An RBI single made it 6-5, then a sacrifice fly and back-to-back RBI single gave them a 9-5 lead. The Warriors came roaring back in the game in the bottom of the fifth inning as AJ Randau got hit by the pitch to lead off the inning. Hoffpauir then drew a walk and Simmons reached on an error to load the bases once again. Randau scored on a double-play ball to cut it to 9-6, then Brody Freeman lined an RBI double to center field to make it 9-7. Putman and Rodgers each hit RBI singles as that tied the game up once again at nine.
After keeping Scottsboro off the scoreboard in the top of the seventh inning, West Point looked to win it in walk-off fashion for the second time this season. The rally started with two outs as Putman reached on a Wildcat error, then after a five-pitch at-bat, Folds won it for the Warriors as his RBI double to right field gave them a 10-9 win.
Folds finished with three hits and two RBIs, including the game-winning RBI double. Putman added a pair of hits and an RBI. Rodgers, McCoy, and Freeman all ended up with a hit and an RBI in the contest. Hoffpauir, Simmons and Phillips each finished with an RBI and Cochran added a hit for West Point (5-2).
The Warriors will travel to take on Huntsville Tuesday afternoon.
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