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CHASE MURPHY’S PRESS BOX SCRIBBLES — Bottom 9, Two Balls, One Strike
Martin Hoyt steps in cold off the bench — gutsy move by the Bulls. He watches two borderline pitches miss. Tension tightens. But Hartman just uncorked a laser — 96 on the outside black. You could hear the pop of Adams' mitt from here.
Two more like that and Hoyt won’t be swinging — he’ll be blinking.
The whole Red Springs dugout is up now. Hands on the rail. Everyone on their feet. The cheap seats have gone from stomping to shaking. This is it.
CHASE MURPHY’S PRESS BOX SCRIBBLES — Bottom 9, Two Outs, 2-2 Count
That swing had exit velocity — off the bat of nothing. Hartman gave him the heater or maybe the slider that rides late. Either way, Hoyt missed badly. Crowd roared. Dugout rattled. I may have accidentally kicked over my own chair.
It’s 2-2. Two outs. One strike away. The entire season, the summer, the late-night bus rides, the Ryker comeback, the Stubbs turnaround, the McSwain masterpieces… it all comes down to one pitch.
I’m not even writing anymore. I’m shaking. Someone hold my soda (I’m on my ninth).
CHASE MURPHY’S PRESS BOX SCRIBBLES — FINAL OUT
BOOM. Swing and miss.
The stadium lights flicker, the scoreboard flashes 6‑3 FINAL. For the first time since Red Robins teams won Tobacco State League championships in 1948 and 1949 —Red Springs will get another baseball banner. Your Red Robins are the outright 2025 Tobacco State League Regular Season Champions!!
I don’t know if my heart’s still beating. My soda’s flat. My scorebook is a mess. Most of the press box is frowning at me. I think that kid with the funnel cake just cursed at me. But who cares. This place is buzzing. This town is ours.
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