Bullpen boosts Polk Middle to 6-4 win at Bethel Middle

Grayson Jones and Avery Edwards pitched 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief Monday to lead Polk County Middle to a 6-4 win over Bethel Middle in Blue Ridge Middle School Conference action at Bethel.

Jones and Edwards scattered three hits and struck out five in relief of starter Brandon Ridings as the Wolverines improved to 4-1 heading into Wednesday’s game at Canton Middle.

Polk County struck for two runs in the top of the first as Jones was hit by a pitch, stole second and then scored on Edwards’ ground ball. Edwards stole second before Elijah Sutton tripled with two outs to make it 2-0.

Bethel scored one in the first before the Wolverines added two more runs in the third inning. Edwards walked and stole second and moved to third on Sutton’s single. A walk to Kaleb Kropp loaded the bases before Bryson Ridings singled to drive in two runs and make it 4-1.

The Blue Demons got two runs in the bottom of the third, but Polk answered with a run in the fourth as Clark Phipps was hit by a pitch and Evan Rimer walked. A passed ball moved both runners up a base and Phipps scored on Sutton’s sacrifice fly to make it 5-3.

The Wolverines added an insurance run in the fifth as Phipps singled and motored around to third on an error, then scored on Ben Dimsdale’s grounder.

Sutton finished the day 2-for-3 with three RBI to lead Polk, which also got two hits from Bryson Ridings.