Coming off of a monstrous win over Cape Notre Dame, the Park Hills Central Rebels followed up that drubbing with a dramatic walk-off win over the Ste. Genevieve Dragons. The Boys Varsity team made a dramatic comeback, forced extra innings and then walked off the win in grand fashion in the 8th inning.
The game started out inauspiciously with the Dragons goin up two nothing in their half of the first, but the Rebels managed to rebound a bit with a Ty Schweiss walk, an error and a sacrifice fly to cut the damage in half. That would be the only scoring until the fourth inning rolled around and the game started to get interesting.
The Dragons put up an insurance run in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead, but Central scratched out a run in the bottom of the fifth to keep things close. Schweiss worked another walk, and this time he made his way around the bases without any assistance. He stole second, then third and then came around to score on an error by the pitcher trying to pick him off.
Suddenly it was 3-2 and the Rebels could smell the comeback heading into the “final” inning. Michael Vance was hit by a pitch to lead off the seventh and then Casen Murphy blasted a double to center to bring him home and even up the game at three.
With the game now in extra innings, Central did well to put up a clean sheet in the top of the eighth to set the stage for a potential walk-off victory. And walk it off they did. A walk and a single put a runner in scoring position for Vance, and he came through in the clutch with a hard grounder to short that scored a run, cleared the dugout and sent the Rebels into a frenzy.
Schweiss didn’t manage a hit, but wreaked havoc on the bases with two steals and two runs scored coming from his two walks. Vance was the hero in the final inning but Murphy and Sammy Callaway were the only two Rebels credited with RBIs.
On the mound, Murphy got the start and went six solid innings. He allowed three runs on five hits and a walk and struck out an impressive nine batters. Brendon Jenkins came in for the final two frames and was untouched with his two perfect innings to pick up the win.
The thrilling 4-3 victory moved the Rebels’ total to 3-3 in this weather-shortened season, and has them looking to get above .500. They take on the North County Raiders on Tuesday in their next test. First pitch is at 4:30 pm.
