D.H. Conley closes out non-conference slate with win over Bear Grass Charter
D.H. Conley scored 5 runs, Bear Grass Charter scored 2.
Both teams walked away victorious.
Ryan Johnson flexed the Vikings' pitching depth with a dozen strikeouts in a complete game performance. The Bears took an early lead, and despite the loss, only allowed one run-scoring base hit in a 1A vs. 4A matchup.
Entering the game 18-1, Bear Grass Charter struck first.
Michael Gurganus singled with two down in the first, and scored on a Matthew Jefferson double off the wall in center. Jefferson didn't have to wait long to score as Drew Hayes doubled him home for a quick 2-0 advantage.
Conley slashed the deficit in half instantly with a sacrifice fly to right. The Vikings took the lead for good with a three-run third.
On their senior night, Riley Williams and Jacob Scott rocked consecutive extra base hits to tie the score. Williams doubled, and Scott tripled to make it a 2-2 game.
Scott gave the Vikings the lead for good when he advanced the final 90 feet via balk. Aydn Gooding added a sac fly to center to push the Conley lead to 4-2.
That would be plenty for Johnson who continued to work at a rapid pace, and pile up the strikeouts along the way. The senior right-hander breezed through the middle innings with a mid-80's fastball that the opposition could not catch up to.
Johnson K'd two in the first, one in the second, struck out the side in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth, one in the sixth, and two in the seventh.
Collin West singled, stole second, advanced to third on an overthrow, and scored on a Riley Williams sac fly to left in the fourth to give Conley a 5-2 lead.
Bear Grass Charter managed to push across only two hits after the first inning, but got strong pitching from Ty Scott and Michael Gurganus. The Bears are expected to be a top seed in next week's 1A east playoff bracket.
D.H. Conley is 19-2 overall and closes out conference play on Tuesday night at South Central. Bear Grass Charter, now 18-2, continues a three-game road trip at Eastern Christian Home School and Bertie.
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