Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A late comeback propelled  Valley past Clay Central 5-4 on Tuesday night. The Rams struck first. Matthew McDonald singled on the Ram’s first at-bat, and Mason Yarbrough moved him over with a ground out. McDonald then steals third and home, 1-0, while Ty Monteith drew the ball to second base with a steal of his own. 

Clay Central answered in the third, however. A walk of the first batter put the tying run on base. A Volunteer triple on ball four evened the score. A sac-fly would put Central up 2-1 going into the bottom of the third. 

The visiting team would extend their lead in the fourth with a double followed by a single. Logan Seymour was brought in as a relief pitcher and struck out the next batter for a two-out two-on situation. Valley intentionally walked the next batter to set up bases loaded, but would walk the next batter also for, making it 4-1. 

But slowly, Valley chipped away at the Volunteers’ lead. 

The Rams got one back in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Cole House hit a line drive single to right field. The Central pitcher would hit the next batter to put House in scoring position. A bunt by  McDonald and an error by Clay Central allowed House to score and bring the game within two runs. 

The first two Valley batters up to the plate in the fifth inning took walks. A gutsy bunt by Bryant Hopkins loads the bases with no outs. Central then walked Seth Hammock to make it 4-3. However, the Rams would leave the bases loaded after a double play ball and an out at home. 

The tying run for Valley would come on a Clay Central error. McDonald gets on base with another single and advances to second on a wild pitch. Then, a Monteith ground ball was fumbled by the shortstop, allowing McDonald to cross home. 

Carter Green then advanced Montieth to third with a hard-hit grounder. Another error by Central on a Hopkins’ fly ball allowed Monteith to score the winning run. The Rams claimed their 11th win of the season (11-2) with only one game before going into the all-important region play.  

Yarbrough got the win on the mound, giving up one hit and one earned run over three innings. House led the team, going three for three at the plate. McDonald had two hits and Hammock was the only Ram to notch an RBI. 

Valley returns to action on Wednesday, traveling to Benjamin Russell.