May 8, 2012
Featured Game of the Day:
In a thrilling finish, the Savannah Spikes beat Atlanta 10-7 thanks to Kent Powell’s walk-off, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. Savannah now moves to 3-5 on the season, while the Arrows fall to 5-3.
Atlanta got the scoring started in the first. After an Anthony Barlow single, Craig Carter doubled him in, followed by an RBI single by Ryan Rogers for a 2-0 Arrows lead.
The Spikes answered in the bottom of the second. Garry Ward hit a one-out triple, followed by a Horace Wiley single. Keith White then tripled to tie the game 2-2. With two outs, Jeff Williams singled to score White.
Savannah added two more in the third. John McLean singled and Ward doubled him in. Ward later scored on a Joe Jones error. That gave the Spikes a 5-2 lead.
Atlanta worked to tie the game in the fifth. The Arrows scored one in the fourth on an RBI ground out by Lee Everhart. In the fifth, Atlanta added two more. Ted Avery singled in Carter and Frank McCoy singled in Jones to make it 5-5 going to the bottom of the inning.
The Spikes answered with a run of their own to retake the lead, 6-5. Singles by Greg Barnes, Wiley, and White scored Barnes.
It was Atlanta’s turn to answer in the sixth. With two outs, Barlow and Carter each doubled to tie the game, 6-6.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Spikes again answered. Jones committed another error, allowing Williams to reach. Two batters later, White singled him in for the 7-6 lead.
Atlanta made one more charge in the eighth inning. McCoy doubled to lead off the inning and then scored on a McLean error to tie the game 7-7.
In the bottom of the ninth, Powell earned hero status. Ward led off with a single, and White singled with one out. That was when Powell connected on a shot to left field for the 10-7 Savannah win.
“For whatever reason, the pitcher for Atlanta left the ball over the plate and in,” Powell said. “I turned on it, and it was gone.”
Most Outstanding Players of the Game:
Kent Powell, 2-5, Walk-off HR, 3 RBI, R
Frank McCoy, Atlanta, 4-4, 2 2B, RBI, R, BB
Craig Carter, Atlanta, 3-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Garry Ward, Savannah, 3-5, 2B, 3B, RBI, 3 R