By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
Sylvan Hills’ senior American Legion team led Cabot in the early innings, but Cabot rallied to tie the Bruins late, and scored four runs in the ninth inning to win 11-7 Thursday at Mike Bromley Field in Sherwood.
Cabot struggled early at the plate as its first eight batters were retired by Sylvan Hills’ starting pitcher Lance Hunter. The Bruins on the other hand had little trouble connecting at the plate. Sylvan Hills scored a run in the first inning and added two more in the third to take an early 3-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, Cabot looked like a completely different team offensively. Cabot (7-9) scored three runs in the inning to tie the score at three apiece. Sylvan Hills (8-6) retook the lead in the bottom part of the inning when Dylan Boone hit a RBI-single to right field.
Bruins Leadoff hitter Greg Atchison scored on the play after hitting a double to right-center field the previous at bat.
Sylvan Hills added two more runs in the fifth inning to take a 6-3 lead, and led by the same score going into the seventh inning.
In the top of the seventh, Cabot’s bats came to life and the senior team went on another three-run rally to tie the score at six apiece, and grab the momentum in the process.
Cabot took the lead for the first time in the eighth inning. Ryan Logan scored Cabot’s go-ahead run after T.C. Carter hit into a fielder’s choice at third base. Sylvan Hills, however, knotted up the score at seven apiece when Boone hit a stand up double to left-center field, allowing Atchison to score from first base. It was Boone’s second RBI of the game.
Bryson Morris gave Cabot the lead in the top of the ninth after hitting a hard grounder to shortstop with two outs in the inning.
Cole Thomas and Logan scored on the E6. The error was the fourth of the game for Sylvan Hills. Cabot committed no errors in the game. Tristan Bulice drove in two more insurance runs for Cabot two batters later on a line drive single to right-center field. Morris and Casey Vaughn scored on the play to set the final margin.
Dustin Morris picked up the win for Cabot after relieving Thomas in the fourth. Bulice led Cabot with a 3 for 4 performance at the plate, adding three RBI’s and two runs scored to his stats. Carter, Justin Goff and Dustin Morris each had two hits, while Bryson Morris also had a hit.
Boone and centerfielder J.D. Miller each went 3 for 4 for the Bruins. Atchison was 2 for 3.
