GOOD HOPE, Ala. – Good Hope opened up area play at home against Danville on Monday night and the Raiders jumped out to a fast start against the Hawks. Good Hope held onto its early lead throughout the contest to secure an 8-1 area win over Danville.
Caden Drake started the game on the mound for the Raiders and he retired the Hawks in order in the opening frame. Good Hope gave him some run support in their opening at-bats. Parker Johnson hit a leadoff single. Mason Drake bunted the ball to the pitcher, who threw wildly past first, and that allowed Johnson to score to put the Raiders on the scoreboard first. One out later, Carter Naramore lined an RBI double to left field to make it 2-0. A few pitches later, another Danville error allowed Caden Drake to cross the plate to extend their lead to 3-0. Back-to-back RBI doubles by Nash Landon and Owen Armstrong put Good Hope ahead 5-0.
Caden Drake had his strikeout pitch working early and often, as he struck out the side in the next two innings. Colbi Kilpatrick came in to pitch the fourth inning, and after allowing Danville to reach on a wild pitch with one out, he got the next batter to line out into a double play to end the inning. The Raiders added to their lead in their half. Landon reached on an infield single to lead off the inning. He got forced out at second base on a ground ball by Armstrong. Another ground ball moved him over to third with two outs, and Johnson hit an RBI single to give Good Hope a 6-0 lead.
Kilpatrick hit back-to-back batters to lead off the fifth. He picked off the runner at second for the first out and would later get the second runner in a rundown before he got tagged out at third for the second out. He walked the next hitter, and an error allowed the Hawks to cut it to 6-1. Case Naramore came in to pitch the sixth inning and retired Danville in order.
Kane Anderson reached on catcher’s interference to lead off the Raider half of the sixth. He stole second and moved up to third on a ground ball. Blake Cordes reached on a dropped third strike, and Anderson was able to score to make it 7-1. Later that inning, Cordes scored on a Hawk error to put them ahead 8-1. Naramore retired Danville on just 10 pitches to help seal an 8-1 area win for Good Hope.
Johnson (three hits), Landon (two hits), Carter Naramore (one hit) and Armstrong (one hit) all drove in a run for the Raiders. Caden Drake struck out seven in his three perfect innings of work. Kilpatrick and Case Naramore combined to give up just one hit and one unearned run, walked one, and struck out five in their combined four innings on the mound.
The Raiders will travel to Danville to continue the series on Wednesday.
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