FIGHT FOR THE TOP

 Davis Salvage cashed in on two key errors in the first inning then held off Hometown Bank to remain undefeated in the Corbin Little League, 7-5, Monday night at Rotary Park.

Davis Salvage (15-0) took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on two Hometown Bank errors. Keaton Knuckles started the inning with a strike out of Matthew Hart, but walked Chase Estep. Alec Gambrel and Grant Gibson reach base on back-to-back errors and eventually scored.

Knuckles walked Cole Brock, Mikey Berry and Dillon Brown and faced the bases-loaded with one out. However, he battled his way past the next two batters by striking out Ryan VanNorstram and T.J. Elliott to get out of trouble.

Hometown Bank (10-6) scored two runs in the top of the second to make a game of it. Davis Salvage pitcher Gambrel walked Tyler Mills, Eric Emery and Rex Lacefield to load the bases with two outs. He faced the hard-hitting Drew Carter with the bases full. Carter lined a pitch off Gambrel’s leg and two runners were able to score.

Gambrel shook off the hit to the leg and struck out Steven Woolums to get out of the inning with only two runs scored by Hometown Bank.

Davis Salvage was set to blow the game open in the bottom of the second, but scored only one run. Hart drew a walk before Gambrel hit a one-out double to left center field that put another run on the scorebooks.

After Gibson grounded out to Kyle Vanover at shortstop, Brock and Berry drew back-to-back walks to load the bases once again. However, Brown grounded out to Vanover to end the inning. Davis Salvage owned the 4-2 lead.

Knuckles helped his own cause in the top of the third when he led off the game with a home run over the left field fence, his first of the year. Gambrell then walked Braden Reedy, who went to third on consecutive wild pitches to Tyler Mills. Hart came to the mound for Davis Salvage and took over the pitching duties. He got Mills to ground out, but Reedy scored on the play and the game was tied at 4-4.

Hart got Vanover to fly out and struck out Emery to close out the inning.

Hometown Bank then held Davis Salvage in check in the bottom of the third and took the lead in the top of the fourth. Hart walked Jayden Pritchard to start the inning. Dillon Bryant re-entered the game to run for Pritchard. Bryant went to second on a Carter base hit. Two outs later Knuckles his a single to drive in Bryant. Carter was on his heels and tried to score, but was called out at the plate.

Reedy relived Knuckles in the bottom of the fourth. After giving up a lead off single to Gambrel, he got Gibson to ground out into a fielder’s choice then struck out Brock and Sproles.

The teams went to the fifth with Hometown Bank ahead, 5-4. Hometown Bank had a chance to push farther ahead in the inning when Reedy walked to lead off the inning. Mills followed with a base hit. However, the next three batters went down in order.

Davis Salvage quickly tied the score in the bottom of the fifth when Brown bunted his way on board. A throwing error allowed the runner to go to third. VanNorstram hit a ball back to the mound as Reedy went to first with the play Brown scored, tying the game at 5-5.

Elliott became the hero for his team when he hit a double to the center field fence. He went to third on a bunt by Hart. Then a wild pitch turned the game for Davis Salvage. Elliott charged home plate as Carter tossed the ball to Reedy. Elliott was ruled safe on a play at the plate despite the opposition of the Hometown Bank fans.

Estep was walked and Gambrel intentionally sent to first to load the bases. Gibson followed with a fly ball to right field that was caught. Hart scored on the play to make it 7-5. Again, it was questioned by the fans if he tagged or not.

There was no question in the bottom of the inning when Estep came on to pitch for Davis Salvage. Estep struck out the side to end the game with his team staying undefeated on the season.

Davis Salvage 7, Hometown Bank 5

Hometown Bank            022  100- 5  6  3

Davis Salvage                        310  03x- 7  5  0

   Knuckles, Reedy and Carter. Gambrell, Hart (3), Estep (6) and VanNorstram. W-Hart, L-Reedy. 2B-Gambrel (DS), Elliott (DS). HR-Knuckles (HB).