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closeJags register comeback victory
Emerald Ridge baseballers rely on big sticks against cross-town rivals
Shaun Scott
Emerald Ridge hurler Tim Peterson wasn’t fazed by the task at hand against the Rogers Rams baseball squad.
The Jaguars were clinging to a 5-4 lead in the top of seventh inning. With runners on first and second with two outs, Peterson faced Rams stalwart hitter Grant Williams. Peterson, who pitched a complete game compiling six strikeouts, got Williams to ground out to third baseman Michael O’Bryant, sealing Emerald Ridge’s 5-4 triumphant victory on April 2 at Emerald Ridge High School.
While Peterson turned in a workmanlike performance on the hill, it was the Jaguars’ heavy hitters who came through in the clutch.
Jaguars third baseman Logan Bushnell’s two-run homer helped put the Jaguars in front 3-0 in the bottom of the first.
“That was an awesome shot,” Jaguars head coach Tim Spears said. “It’s probably one of the longer homeruns I’ve ever seen at our home park.”
In the top of the second, the Jaguars committed two errors that translated into four unearned runs crossing the plate giving the Rams a 4-3 lead.
“We had some errors and gave up some runs we shouldn’t of,” Spears said. “But after the second inning we settled down and started playing the way I know we can and Rogers didn’t score the rest of the way. I was glad we shored up our early troubles in the field for the remainder of the game.”
After three scoreless innings, Emerald Ridge regained the lead at 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of a two-run homer from the bat of freshman Bryan Burgher.
While Burgher was approaching the plate, Spears thought about having Burgher bunt to score a Jaguars runner from third base to tie the game. Instead, he let Burgher swing away and it paid off.
“It turned out my non-move was the right move.,” Spears said. “You don’t want to rely on the long ball to win the game every time but it benefited us today and was the key to our victory.”
Spears praised Peterson for pitching a complete game six-hitter.
“He went the whole way and was pitching accurately throughout,” Spears said. “He finished the game up strong and got out of a jam in the seventh. He pitched like we know he can.”
Even though Emerald Ridge currently is in second place in the SPSL South and Rogers is in fifth place, the battle between these schools separated by a mere six miles is always a heated affair.
“When we play Rogers it doesn’t matter what our record is or their record is,” Spears said. “Whenever we play them they give us their best game. That’s what we come to expect every time we go up against Rogers.”