Clint Thompson
THOMASVILLE — Thomas County Central’s bats came to life Friday night against Harris County: 11 runs, 12 hits and the stat coach Chad Parkerson was most proud of, one strikeout.
All were key in the Yellow Jackets’ 11-9 win against their Region 1-AAAA foe.
“We have been talking about how we despise striking out,” Central coach Chad Parkerson said. “We’re trying to give them a mentality and telling them, if you don’t want to strike out, then you won’t do it. They’re going up there and applying it and executing it. Good things happen when you put the ball in play.”
All but one Central starter had a hit. Josh Gobble and Logan Holland belted two-run home runs. Holland’s dinger came during a seven-run fourth inning that propelled the Yellow Jackets to a10-5 lead.
Central’s ninth-place hitter Devyn Newberry was the team’s leading hitter with three hits, including an RBI double in the fourth.
“He’s kind of like a second leadoff guy for us down there,” Parkerson said. “We like him down there because he can run and he can spark things down there at the bottom of the order. He is in by no way our ninth best hitter. I just like him in that spot in the lineup.”
Central’s bats overcame a shaky outing in the field. Starting pitcher Matt Blackburn went 5 1/3 innings and allowed five runs, but only two were earned. Harris County scored two on a throwing error by Gobble. The Tigers scored another off an error following a strikeout. Catcher Caleb Bryson threw to first base but first baseman Will Taylor couldn’t handle the throw.
“(Gobble will) be the first to tell you that won’t happen again. Errors are part of the game,” Parkerson said. “If I had my options, Josh is still one of the guys I want the ball hit to.
“We had a miss throw and catch at first, too, on a strikeout. What we talked about before the game, sometimes things don’t happen perfect, but there’s still a way to win. It’s just up to us to find that way.”
Central (3-5, 2-1) held off a late seventh-inning rally by Harris. The Tigers tallied four hits in the inning and had the tying run on first base when Cody Milner popped up to end the game.
Taylor recorded the save in 1 1/3 innings of relief.
