By PATRICK CASEY
Tyler Slotter’s infield single in the bottom of the eighth inning plated Zach Lance with the game-winning run as the South Walton Seahawks rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Freeport Bulldogs on March 19.
Fletcher Wilson picked up the win in relief as he tossed the final three innings, getting out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh to preserve the game.
Freeport took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning as Levi Thames reached on an error and eventually scored on a single by Ryder Newman.
Darian Fannin held the Seahawks at bay for the first five innings but gave up the tying run in the bottom of the sixth as Lance doubled with one out, moved to third on a single by Wilson and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jeremy Pfeiffer.
Fannin left the mound after six innings of work, allowing five hits with two strikeouts and a walk and could have had a bigger lead but the Bulldogs offense left the bases loaded in the second inning and had Chase Caswell thrown out at home plate in the fourth on an excellent throw from Jeremy Pfeiffer that catcher Dustin Allen used to apply the tag while blocking the way. Freeport coach Shaun Arntz argued the very close call to no avail.
Freeport got their revenge at the plate in the bottom of the inning as Lance singled, moved to second on a groundout by Wilson and attempted to score on Jeremy Pfeiffer’s single to leftfield only to be swipe-tagged by Dakota Davis on Caleb Urquhart’s throw. Coach Nick Borthwick argued the call, but like Arntz, lost the appeal.
Levi Thames pitched the final two innings of the game and took the loss in the eighth inning as Lance earned his third hit of the game with a lead-off single. Wilson sacrificed him to second and a passed ball moved him to third base. Slotter then hit a 2-1 chopper to third base and beat Caswell’s throw on a difficult fielding play for the win.
Freeport fell to 3-6 with the loss and left 13 men on base in the contest while tallying seven hits with three errors in the field. Newman had a pair of singles to lead the Bulldogs offense.
South Walton had eight hits in the game and left eight base-runners of their own in improving to 6-6 overall.