Polk County Middle dropped a nail-biter to Hendersonville Middle School on Tuesday afternoon, falling 10-9 despite a spirited sixth-inning comeback in a Blue Ridge Conference baseball battle.
The Wolverines jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, the rally started when Matthew Foy was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on Carter Wood’s single. Later in the frame, with two outs and two runners aboard via walks, Callaway Cameron delivered the big blow with a two-run double to right field.
Hendersonville responded with force, plating four runs in their half of the first and adding three more in the second to build a 7-3 advantage. Polk chipped away in the third when Wood singled, advanced on an error and scored on Wesley Turner’s single. Waldbillig, who had reached on an error, crossed the plate when Cameron reached base on a dropped third strike.
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Down 8-5 entering the sixth inning, the Wolverines mounted what appeared to be a game-winning rally. Cameron singled and later scored on a wild pitch, while RJ Simpson’s single brought another runner into scoring position. After McFalls walked to load the bases, another wild pitch and Foy’s clutch single brought home two more runs. Waldbillig drew a bases-loaded walk to force in another run, then allowed Foy to score the go-ahead run during a pickoff play at first.
The advantage proved short-lived. In the bottom of the frame, Hendersonville capitalized on a Polk error, walk and single before pushing across the tying and winning runs on consecutive infield groundouts.
Wood (2-for-3, RBI, 2 runs) and Cameron (2-for-3, double, 2 RBI) led the Wolverine offense, which showed marked improvement according to head coach Alston Rikard.
“We hit the ball much better today than we have been,” Rikard said. “We just need to get the little things down and we’ll see the success that these boys have worked hard for.”
The Wolverines (0-6) will look to break into the win column on Thursday when they travel to Flat Rock Middle for a 4:30 p.m. contest.
