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Davie Unleashes 18 Hits In 9-8 Comeback
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| Shortstop Carson Herndon takes a throw during a scrimmage. - Photo by James Barringer |
But all Davie did over the last five innings was outscore Southwest 7-1, pulling out a wild 9-8 victory. The game will be remembered for Joe Watson’s tiebreaking, game-winning home run in the fifth. Not to be forgotten are home runs by Jacob Vernon and Jess Cartner, Tyler Seaford’s three hits, Evan Crisco’s three hits, two hits from Alex Newman, Carson Herndon and Ryan Foster, Crisco’s play with the glove in the fifth and Cartner’s save in relief.
It’s hard to say who deserved player of the game. It’s easy to say a season-opening game doesn’t get much better than this.
“A lot of teams would have folded down 7-2,” Davie’s 11th-year coach, Mike Herndon, said. “That showed the kind of heart we have. Winning a game like that early can carry you a long ways. Later on you’ll actually believe you can come back.”
Herndon started three seniors, three juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. Seven position players made their first varsity starts, including junior Seaford in left field, sophomore Newman in center, senior Crisco at second, sophomore Herndon at shortstop, sophomore Watson in right, junior Brad Gaither at pitcher and freshman Foster at third. And winning pitcher Berryhill stymied Southwest from the third through the fifth while making his first varsity appearance.
But the story of the game was Davie’s electric offense. Seaford, batting leadoff, went 3 for 4 with a walk and stolen base. Crisco went 3 for 4 with a double. Newman (2 for 5), Vernon (2-5, three RBIs), Cartner (2-4, 2 RBIs, double), Herndon (2-4), Foster (2-4) and Berryhill (1-3, double) were also instrumental. Of course, Watson’s only hit proved to be the difference.
Davie battered three pitchers with 18 hits, four doubles and three homers.
“We’ve never swung the bats like that, and I’m talking about against good pitching, too,” Herndon said. “It was as good as any pitcher we saw in our scrimmages.”
Vernon staked Davie to a 2-0 first-inning lead with a home run. “That ball was hammered,” Herndon said.
Southwest had the answer, scoring four in the bottom of the first. The hosts tacked on three more in the second, a three-run homer making it 7-2 ... subscribe to the Davie County Enterprise Record, P.O. Box 99, Mocksville, N.C. 27028.