Patrick’s first inning grand slam sparks 13-0 win over Blacksburg

Brayden Patrick’s grand slam home run highlighted a nine-run first inning that led to a 13-0, four and one-half inning rout of Blacksburg

High’s Wildcats in Kings

Mountain High’s Lickety

Lew’s Night baseball home opener Wednesday at Lancaster Field.

The Mountaineers had only three hits during the inning with winning pitcher Zane Brockman getting the other two – a single and a double. But the Mountaineers took advantage of seven walks, three wild pitches, a hit batsman and an error while sending 14 batters to the plate.

Brockman gave up just two harmless hits and struck out 11 batters in his four innings on the mound. Aidan Taylor pitched the top of the fifth, fanning one batter and issuing two walks. The Wildcats had runners on first and second with two outs and Levi Barrett at the plate when his ground ball to shortstop hit teammate Davon Garrison on his way to third to end the game.

After Blacksburg’s Kolby Capps beat out an infield grounder to deep short to open the game and was immediately sacrificed to high-

The bottom of the first saw KM leadoff hitter Jacob Hamrick fly out to medium centerfield, but Capps walked Caleb Broome and the Mountaineer assault began. Brockman’s single to center and two wild pitches brought Irby in from third for what would be the winning run. Two more walks loaded the sacks and Patrick’s grand slam over the left-centerfield fence moved the score to 5-0. Broome was hit by a pitched ball with the bases loaded to make it 6-0. With the bases still loaded, Brockman doubled to run the margin to 9-0. The Mountaineers scored the game’s final four runs in the bottom of the third when they sent nine men to the plate. An error, infield hit by Hamrick and a walk to Broome loaded the bases. Brockman was hit by a pitch to bring Ellis home with the 10th run. Irby’s single to left ran the score to 12-0 and consecutive walks to Mayes and Patrick accounted for the final run.

Kings Mountain was scheduled to host Gastonia Ashbrook in their first Big South 3A Conference game for last night’s Hotdog Night. The Mountaineers will go to Ashbrook March 17 and will return home March 21 against the Hunter Huss Huskies for a T-shirt Night. Several T-shirts will be given away.