Skyview wins pitching duel with Evergreen

Looks like there was no Columbian jinx this week when two of the pitchers featured in Tuesday’s edition squared off against each other Wednesday. Skyview’s Kody Watts and Evergreen’s Tommy Thorpe indeed put on a pitching clinic, with Watts and the Storm getting to Thorpe and the Plainsmen in the final inning for a 3-1 victory.

Watts struck out 10 and did not give up an earned run in the complete-game victory. 

Even with those numbers, the Storm were trailing 1-0 going into the final inning. A lead-off single and a gutsy call by Skyview coach Eric Estes got the Storm into rally mode.

Evergreen coach Chad Burchett tipped his cap to Estes for calling a hit-and-run play after Conner Webb opened the top of the seventh with a single. Matt Hansen’s line drive made it to the outfield for a hit after an Evergreen defender lost his footing. Burchett said if that ball would have been caught, it would have been an easy double-play. Instead, the Storm had something going their way.

The Storm would eventually load the bases with one out, and Austin Groesback’s bunt tied the game. Anthony Collura followed with a sacrifice fly to put the Storm ahead 2-1. Cole Buruse followed with a run-scoring single for some insurance.

Evergreen fell to 0-2 in league — both tough-luck losses with Thorpe on the mound. In his first league outing, Thorpe gave up no runs in seven innings only to see Union score four runs against the Evergreen bullpen in the eighth inning. Then he went six scoreless innings before giving up three runs in the seventh against Skyivew. Thorpe, like Watts, struck out 10.

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