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CHASE MURPHY’S PRESS BOX SCRIBBLES — Mid 7th
Red Springs 6, Angier-Fuquay Springs 1
We’re through the stretch — barely. The gentleman leading “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” sounded like he was being attacked by bees mid-chorus. Definitely not the high note of the night.
Red Springs 7th almost another blockbuster. Almost. Bruce Browning works a one-out walk and advances on a wild pitch — love to see him cause chaos with his legs. Then Mike Adams steps in, already 3-for-3, trying to put the game on ice.
And he nearly did. Smoked a ball to dead center. Off the bat, it looked gone. But the wind coming in from the church parking lot knocked it down at the warning track. Crowd ooooh’d. I groaned. Out three.
Still 6-1, and here comes Shane D’Ovidio back out for the bottom of the 7th — pitch count be damned. He's not giving up this game without a fight.
CHASE MURPHY’S PRESS BOX SCRIBBLES — End 7th
Red Springs 6, Angier-Fuquay Springs 2
Whew. Shane D’Ovidio gives up a leadoff single and exits to a standing ovation from the Red Springs dugout (and a half-wave from the lady selling boiled peanuts behind third base).
O’Farrell enters and promptly makes things spicy: hit, walk, fielder's choice, run in. Tension levels spike. Then, just when I’m about to burn my scorebook in ritual sacrifice, he bears down and induces back-to-back grounders to shut the door.
Still 6-2. Still in control. But this game refuses to let go quietly. There are no smooth innings. Only minor disasters we escape from in dramatic fashion.
Scoreboard Watch
Whiteville 3, Warsaw 2 — Top 9
Clinton 3, Sanford 3 — Top 7 (Spinners get back into contention. Dang.)
CHASE MURPHY’S PRESS BOX SCRIBBLES — Mid 8th
Red Springs 6, A-F Springs 2
Rogers is quietly putting together a game MVP kind of performance: three hits, a stolen base, set the tone from the jump. He even gave the first baseman a nod after swiping second like, “Yeah. You saw that.”
But the offense couldn’t tack on. Still, no complaints. Four-run lead, six outs to go and the Red Springs bullpen is stacking arms like it’s Game 7.
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