GOOD HOPE, Ala. – The Cold Springs Eagles traveled to Good Hope for a varsity matchup with the Raiders Tuesday afternoon and after falling behind 5-2 in the top of the seventh inning, Good Hope put three runs on the board in the final frame to force extras. The Raiders led off the bottom of the eight with a walk and a single to put pressure on the Eagles and Brady Stripling was able to score on a passed ball to secure a 6-5 win for Good Hope.
After a scoreless first inning, the Eagles got on the board in the top of the second when Josh Winfrey punched a single into left field and an error allowed Ethan Nabors to score from second base and make it a 1-0 game. Both starting pitchers settled in for the next two innings, keeping both offenses off the board until the fifth when Cold Springs added to its lead. Mason Gable drove a single up the middle to bring Lindan Hill in to score and just a few pitches later, a single from Nabors allowed Gable to cross the plate and extend the lead to 3-0.
An RBI groundout off the bat of Brady Phillips pushed Winfrey across the plate to make it a 4-0 game in the top of the sixth but the Raiders responded in the bottom half of the inning. Ayden Black reached first on a dropped third strike and Caden Drake knocked a double into center field to give Good Hope a pair of runners in scoring position. Carter Naramore took advantage of the scoring opportunity with a 2-run single into right field that cut the lead to two. The Raiders threatened to chip away even more of the lead in the sixth, but the Eagles got out of the jam and held onto a 4-2 lead going into the seventh.
Cold Springs tacked on one more run in the top of the seventh when Gable sent a single back up the middle and drove in Matt Williams to make it 5-2. The Eagles retired the first two Good Hope batters, but the Raiders weren’t ready to lay down. Drake hit the first pitch he saw into left field to drive Carter Rutherford in for a run, cutting the lead to 5-3 and just a few pitches later, Naramore knocked a double into right field, plating Black and Drake to tie things up at 5 and send the game to extra innings.
Cold Springs was unable to get on the board in the top of the eighth, but Brady Stripling drew a walk to lead off the bottom half of the inning and Dakota Overton laid down a bunt single to put a pair of runners on base for Good Hope. A few pitches later, Stripling took advantage of a passed ball to sprint home and score, giving the Raiders a 6-5 come from behind win over the Eagles.
Drake pitched all eight innings to earn the win on the mound for Good Hope, allowing four earned runs on 12 hits and striking out seven. At the plate, Naramore led the way with two hits and four RBIs. Drake (one RBI) and Stripling each posted a pair of hits as well.
For Cold Springs, Gable recorded a pair of hits and RBIs in the loss. Hill and Winfrey each added a pair of hits and Nabors (one hit) and Phillips (one hit) each finished with an RBI.
The Raiders will be back home Thursday to host a doubleheader with Holly Pond and West Point and Cold Springs will travel to Curry to take on the Yellow Jackets.
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