GOING THE DISTANCE

Bulldogs Walk Off Winners In Nine-Inning Marathon

The line score was not pretty for fans of pitching and defense. But, in an absolute slugfest, the Trenton Bulldogs prevailed, walking off winners in the ninth inning to defeat North Andrew 15-14 on Monday at Burleigh Grimes Field.
With Hunter Dugan standing on third base, North Andrew’s Nic Crets uncorked a wild pitch. With the ball skipping to the backstop, Dugan broke for home, crossing the plate for the game-winning run. The run put an end to an exhausting three-hour contest that saw the two schools combine for 29 runs and 29 hits.
“They just kept battling and kind of stayed together,” Trenton Head Coach Andy Hight said. “They just kept putting innings together.”
Trenton led 3-2 after three innings when North Andrew put together a six-run top of the fourth that put Trenton in a hole. The Bulldogs answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame, but North Andrew scored twice in the fifth and twice in the sixth to go up 12-6.
That’s when Trenton’s offense really came to life, springing an eight-run rally to give the Bulldogs a 14-12 lead. North Andrew tied the game with two more runs in the top of the seventh and Trenton was unable to score in the bottom of the frame, sending the game into extra innings.
Avery Cooksey, who was charged with a blown save after allowing the two runs in the seventh, buckled down over the next two innings and shut down North Andrew. The Cardinals wouldn’t score again and when Dugan scored the walk-off run, Cooksey was awarded the win on the hill.
“We turned it over to Avery and he has been in those situations before,” Hight said. “He hasn’t really been in those situations this year, though, so I was really proud of him for coming in and throwing strikes. He had to do that, but it was really our defense behind him. We had (Hunter) Beverlin ready in the bullpen in case something went wrong, but Avery did a great job and the defense did a great job behind him.”
Cooksey finished with three innings pitched, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two. Chase Otto was the starting pitcher, throwing the opening three innings with two unearned runs allowed on two hits and a walk with one strikeout.
Jesse Farmer and Cole Schilling scuffled in the middle innings. Farmer allowed six runs, three earned in one-third of an inning and Schilling allowed four runs, all earned in two and two-thirds innings.
But, at the plate, Trenton did exactly what it needed to keep itself in contention. Colton Colston led the way, having a career day by going five-for-five with a double, triple, two runs scored and five RBIs. He was only a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.
Behind Colston, Cooksey was three-for-five with a triple, two runs scored and four RBIs and Cole Schilling was three-for-five as well with two runs and an RBI. Otto drove in two runs and scored one with a one-for-three day at the plate and Quincy Griffin and Dugan each drew four walks in the game with Griffin scoring three times and Dugan twice.
“I’m proud of our kids for battling,” Hight said. “We did not play anywhere near our best – it was kind of a grind of a game – but I’m proud of the way our kids battled.”
With the win, Trenton moved to 5-10 overall.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Friday, competing in the Chillicothe Tournament. Trenton will take on St. Joseph Lafayette at 3 p.m. on Friday at Shaffer Park. A win would put the Bulldogs in the semifinals that same day at 5 p.m. at Shaffer Park. A loss drops Trenton to the consolation semifinals, where it would play at 5 p.m. at Danner Park.