HOLLY POND, Ala. – The Hanceville Bulldogs traveled to take on the Holly Pond Broncos in an area game on Monday afternoon. Holly Pond got out to a quick 3-0 lead, and that was more than enough run support for Sam Hunt, who pitched a no-hitter and struck out 12 in the Broncos’ 6-0 shutout win over Hanceville.
Hunt took the rubber for Holly Pond to start the game off, and quickly settled down and got Cody Belcher to bunt into a double play, then he struck out Hunter Black to get out of the inning unscathed. The Broncos gave him some early run support in their half. Cole Eubanks hit a one-out single, then he stole second. Black struck out Tucker Dunn, but he walked Ty Dunn to put runners on first and second with two outs. Mason Brown hit an RBI single to right field to give Holly Pond the early lead, then back-to-back errors by Hanceville allowed Dunn and Brown to score to make it 3-0.
Hunt had his strikeout pitch working early and often. After getting one to start out the game, he struck out at least two batters in the next four innings. Hanceville’s new pitcher, Laklan Wallace, came in to start out the second inning, and he kept the Bronco bats in check for the next two innings. He got in trouble in the fourth inning, as a hit by pitch and a single put runners on first and second to lead off the inning. A sacrifice moved both runners over to second and third, but Wallace got Eubanks to fly out to center field, and Belcher threw it to Black, who then found Weeks at third base, and they nailed Johnathan Hamby at third to keep it at a three-run game.
The pitcher duel continued after that, as both Hunt and Wallace kept the opposing team’s offenses at bay going into the sixth inning. Hunt continued to rack up the strikeouts in the top of the sixth. He punched out the first two batters to lead off the inning, then after an error, he ended the inning by getting yet another strikeout. Holly Pond added to their lead in their half.
Jackson Miller took the first pitch he saw and lined it into center field for a leadoff double. Hamby got hit by the pitch to put runners on first and second. A sacrifice bunt moved them over to second and third, then Camden Bell lined an RBI single to center field to give the Broncos a 4-0 lead. One out later and after Bell stole second, Tucker Dunn hit a two-run single to left field to stretch their lead to 6-0. Hunt retired the Bulldogs in order in the seventh, as that helped seal the 6-0 shutout win for Holly Pond.
Hunt struck out 12, and pitched a no-hitter across seven innings in his complete game effort. He finished the day with 94 pitches. Tucker Dunn finished with a hit and two RBIs for the Broncos, while Bell and Brown each added a hit and an RBI in the game.
Both teams will face off against each other again on Tuesday at Hanceville.
