Joe Richardson knocked in two runs and Alex Laws scored three times as Ashe held on to win a thriller over North Wilkes, 9-8.
Ashe got on the scoreboard twice in each of the first two innings. Laws scored on an error and Carson Knight scored on a grounder from Jonathan Barlow to take a 2-0 lead after the first.
In the second, Evan Walker and Laws each scored on a miscue by the North Wilkes catcher to take a 4-0 advantage.
The Vikings finally got on the board with an RBI single from Austin Owens in the bottom of the third inning.
North exploded for five runs in the fourth to take a 6-4 lead over Ashe. Two runs scored on an error, then Caleb Shumate ripped a single to center that brought in the tying run. After that, a squeeze play executed nicely by North’s Nick Baronciani brought in a run, then Owens drove in his second run of the night with another hit.
In the top of the fifth, Ashe jumped back in front when Richardson connected on a solid hit to left to bring in Matthew Hamilton and Knight. Laws added a run on another North error then Richardson scored on a sacrifice fly from Walker. Ashe was back in front by an 8-6 score.
Ashe scored its final run of the night in the sixth. Laws singled and advanced on a fielding error. The junior then scampered to third on a passed ball. Hamilton hit a slow roller to third base which allowed Laws to come home from third to put Ashe ahead 9-6.
The Vikings started to rally back in the bottom half of the sixth. Shumate knocked in a run before Baronciani scored on an error to get within one run.
With the tying run on third with two outs, Ashe got out of the jam by getting LJ Hendren to ground out to shortstop.
Ashe pitcher Joseph Lowder struck out the side in the seventh inning to secure his first victory of the season.
On the mound, Hamilton got the start and pitched 3.1 innings and gave up five runs with only one of them earned. Lowder came in and pitched 3.2 innings and gave up three runs, only one earned, with three strikeouts.
Offensively, Laws, Richardson and Walker each had two hits. Barlow and Lowder collected hits as well. Richardson knocked in two runs, Hamilton, Knight and Barlow each batted in a run. Laws scored three times, Knight scored twice, Hamilton, Richardson, Walker and Lowder crossed the plate once.
For North Wilkes, Shumate and Owens batted in a pair of runs and Travis Parsons scored three times.
The Huskies are now 3-4 overall and 3-4 in the Mountain Valley Athletic Conference.
Ashe is scheduled to host non-conference foe North Surry on Wednesday before traveling to West Wilkes on Friday.
Softball
The Lady Huskies earned a big conference victory on Friday by beating North Wilkes, 8-0.
Ashe scored seven runs in the third inning to put the Vikings in an early hole they could never recover from. Sloan Elliott knocked in two runs and Mackenzie Wallace knocked in a pair of runs and scored a run of her own.
Brianna McCoy was outstanding on the mound, going all seven innings to get the shutout. McCoy gave up just three hits with 10 strikeouts, and got terrific defense behind her as Ashe did not commit any errors.
With the victory, Ashe moved to 3-4 overall and 3-4 in the MVAC. North Wilkes dropped to 4-5 overall and are still seeking its first win in conference play.
This week, Ashe will travel to conference-leading West Wilkes on Friday.
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