Reds Thwart Insane Braves Comeback

By Dean Barker
​The Montezuma Braves did all they could to erase an early 8-0 Bridgewater Reds lead, including a seven run top of the ninth, but a tenth inning Grey Sherfey walkoff single gave the defending champs a 14-13 win on Monday, June 12. With the win, the Reds moved to 8-2 and kept sole possession of first, while the Braves fell to 4-5 and stayed in fifth place.
 
“(The key to the win was) persistence,” acting Reds head coach Dennis Miller said. “They don’t give up, I mean, it’s the county league.”
 
Derek Shifflett got the win for Bridgewater to move to improve to 3-0, pitching 10 innings and giving up eight runs on eight hits with seven walks and ten strikeouts. At the plate he was 2-4 with an RBI. Landen Campbell started the ninth and gave up five runs on three hits and two walks. Shifflett gave the Braves credit for mounting a comeback.
 
“They put the bat on the ball, I mean I felt like I didn’t have my best stuff tonight, but sometimes it’s like that, but you’ve got to give it to them,” Shifflett said. “They swung and they put it in play, and (13 runs) is pretty impressive, so that’s one heck of a comeback.”
 
Will Craig took the loss for the Braves, giving up one run in two innings on three hits and one strikeout. Elijah Dunlap started the game for Montezuma, giving up nine runs (five earned) on twelve hits with two walks and three strikeouts in three and a third innings.
 
Bridgewater batted through the lineup in both the first and second innings for a total of eight runs. Liam Simpson’s three run blast in the first got it started, and Mason Luck’s infield fly dropped to bring home the fourth run. In the second, RBI singles from Chris Huffman, Nick Griffin and Matthew Wine made it 7-0, and a run came home on a dropped third strike to make it 8-0.
 
With the bases loaded in the top of the third, a walk to Isaac Sumpter, a single from Tyler Smith, and a two run single from Tristan Gordon cut the lead to four. Bridgewater responded by bringing home Brett Tharp on a passed ball in the bottom half.
 
A two RBI double from Marshall in the fifth made it a 9-6 ballgame, but a sacrifice grounder from Huffman and a single from Simpson would make it 11-6 in the bottom half. A bases loaded walk to Shifflett and a sac fly from Noah Cornwell made it 13-6 in the bottom of the sixth.
 
With the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, Smith would bring them all in with a double to center, and with the bases loaded again, a Rankin double cut the lead to one. Blake French’s grounder to short was bobbled, allowing the tying run to come home. The Reds would strand Simpson at second in the bottom half. The Braves failed to capitalize with two base runners in the tenth. Luck doubled to lead off the tenth, and Sherfey ended the game with a walkoff single to center.
 
The Reds had fourteen runs on twenty one hits with two errors and fourteen runners left on base. Mason Luck was 5-6 with two RBIs to lead the way for Bridgewater. Liam Simpson was 4-6 with four RBIs. Nick Griffin was 3-5 with an RBI. Sherfey was 1-2 with the winning RBI.
 
The Braves had thirteen runs on eleven hits with an error and eight runners stranded. Tyler Smith led Montezuma with a 3-6 night and four RBIs. Dylan Rankin was 2-5 with three RBIs. Tristan Gordon was 2-5 with two RBIs, and Owen Marshall was 1-4 with two RBIs.
 
“I think the players saw in themselves tonight (that) we have the ability to be down but not be out, to fight through it, to keep playing ball,” Braves head coach Chris Rush said.
 
The Reds and Braves will both travel to the Broadway Bruins for their next games, the Reds on Wednesday, June 14 at 7:30 pm, the Braves on Friday, June 16 at the same time.

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