Valley Sports ReportSAYRE — Sophomore Tucker Green plated the go-ahead run, and senior Kyshon Kole delivered the big blow in Sayre's 12-run fifth-inning rally that closed out a 15-5 five-inning win over Sullivan County here Wednesday afternoon in non-league baseball action.
"Tonight was a welcome win over Sullivan County," said Sayre coach Todd Green. "It was very slow start for our team tonight, but a very welcome strong finish.
"Sullivan's starting pitcher threw very well and kept our hitters at bay," noted Green. "Kudos to him for sure.
"It was nice having our senior leader Karter Green back on the field after being sidelined with a ACL tear during football season.
"He stepped on the bump tonight and threw well considering he has to knock some rust off from being sidelined for so long," added Green. "Jackson Varner stepped in on the bump relieving Karter and threw very well in this early-season match-up."
The bottom five hitters in the line-up — junior Declan Barry, senior Kyshon Kole, sophomore Riley McGaughey, freshman Blake Zingeser, and sophomore Tucker Green produced eight hits and eight RBI in the win.
"I'm extremely pleased with the lower half of our line-up keeping us in the mix all game, and finishing extremely strong in the last two innings of the game," said Green.
"I hope and believe this group can keep the momentum going forward and bring back the pride and strength of what Sayre Baseball was and will continue to be for years moving forward," added Green.
The Griffins took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Redskins answered in the home half when junior Shaine Strickland reached on an error, stole second base, took third when the catcher's throw sailed into the outfield, and scored when the center fielder's throw to third soared out of play.
Junior Declan Barry put Sayre on top 2-1 with a lead-off double in the second inning. He stole third and scored on an overthrow.
Sullivan County plated three runs in the top of the third to take a 4-2 lead.
After leaving the bases loaded in the home half of the third, Sayre scored one run in the fourth inning on a two-out RBI single by Strickland to close the gap to 4-3, but left the bases loaded again.
The Griffins made it 5-3 with a run in the top of the fifth inning, but they wouldn't bat again.
Senior Karter Green walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning, and Barry reached base on an error.
With one out, sophomore Riley McGaughey singled to load the bases, and freshman Blake Zingeser followed with a two-RBI single to tie the game at 5-5.
After a double steal moved the runners to second and third, Tucker Green put Sayre ahead 6-5 with an infield RBI single.
Following a walk to Strickland that loaded the bases, senior Logan Zingeser made it 7-5 with a line-drive RBI single to left field, senior Jackson Varner worked a walked to force home a run to extend the lead to 8-5.
The Redskins added two more runs on an error and a walk to Barry to push the lead to 10-5, then Kole delivered a three-RBI double to left field to make it 13-5.
An RBI single by McGaughey plated Kole to extend the lead to 14-5, and a single by Blake Zingeser put runners on first and second.
Tucker Green singled, and an error on the play delivered the 12th run of the inning and the 10-run mercy rule.
Blake Zingeser singled twice, scored one run, and had two RBI, while Logan Zingeser singled twice, scored one run, stole two bases, and knocked in one run, McGaughey singled twice, scored one run, and drove in two runs, and Tucker Green singled twice, scored one run, and knocked in one run in Sayre's 11-hit attack.
Kole doubled, scored one run, and had three RBI, while Barry doubled, scored three runs, and knocked in one run, Strickland singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run, Karter Green scored two runs and drove in one run, and Varner scored once and knocked in one run.
Varner earned the win for the Redskins, with two inning off two no-hit innings of relief. He allowed one unearned runs, with four strikeouts and two walks.
Karter Green started for Sayre, allowing four runs — two earned — on three hits, with three walks and five strikeouts.
Sayre, now 1-1, returns to action Thursday at Williamson.
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IN PHOTO 1: Sayre's Declan Barry watches his second-inning double. IN PHOTO 2: Sayre's Karter Green. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
