North Buncombe held off Polk County’s late rally to claim a 7-5 victory in Tuesday’s varsity baseball home opener at The Bottoms.
The Wolverines scored three runs in the seventh inning to pull within two but couldn’t complete the comeback, leaving the bases loaded to end the game.
Alex Perry was hit by a pitch to open the seventh, and Noah Harden followed with a walk. Nate Fagan’s RBI single scored Perry, and Gavin Waldbillig’s groundout brought home Harden to make it 7-4.
Get PolkSports delivered to your inbox
Sign up for our free newsletter →
Cooper Meyer singled and Aaron Jackson walked to load the bases before Matthew Foy reached on an error that scored Fagan to cut the deficit to 7-5. But North Buncombe’s Kameron Keenan struck out the final two Polk hitters to save the win.
North Buncombe (1-2) took a 3-0 lead in the third with three runs off Harden, then added single runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth to build a 6-2 advantage.
Polk County scored its first two runs in the third and fourth innings. Fagan’s single in the third scored Zalen McCraw (running for Harden), and Gunnar Alm’s sacrifice fly in the fourth brought home Jackson.
Fagan led Polk County with two hits and an RBI. Meyer added two hits, while Alm, Harden and Foy each had one. Alm, Fagan, Waldbillig and Foy each drove in a run.
Harden started for the Wolverines, allowing three earned runs on five hits in three innings with four walks. Aaden Denton pitched four innings in relief, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Polk County will be back in action on Saturday, facing Tuscola at 9 a.m. and Brevard at approximately 3 p.m. in The Slugfest at The Bottoms.
