Pitching lifts Tattnall Square past Stratford
It may have been one of the lowest run totals of the year for Tattnall Square, but the Trojans still earned a 4-1 victory Thursday over Stratford.
Tattnall (12-1, 4-0 GHSA Region 7-1A) leaned on a three-run bottom of the fourth and a complete game from pitcher Matt Blair, who allowed only one hit and struck out eight batters.
Tattnall took an early lead in the bottom of the first after a leadoff double by Garrett Houston gave the Trojans a man in scoring position. Luke Laskey drove Houston in for the game’s first run only two batters later.
Stratford (6-7, 2-2) tied the game in the top of the fourth on its lone hit of the night, a Trey Giles double to center. But the Eagles failed to threaten again after Tattnall’s three runs in the bottom of the frame.
The Trojans utilized back-to-back singles to put men in scoring position, then Tattnall used three straight RBI from Tyler Warnock, Houston and Laskey to earn the three runs.
Stratford reached base one more time – on a throwing error.
Three who mattered
Blair: Tattnall’s starter for the night never left the mound and controlled the game. It was the third time this season Tattnall has held an opponent to a run or less.
Laskey: He was responsible for two of Tattnall’s seven hits, including a double and two RBIs.
Houston: The leadoff man provided a spark on his first at-bat and finished the game 1-of-3 from the plate with a sacrifice RBI.
Turning point
After Stratford scored a run in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 1-1, Tattnall quickly responded by scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Observations
Hitting disparity: Tattnall finished the game with seven hits while Stratford registered only one.
Leading it off right: The top of the lineup for Tattnall – Houston and Laskey – provided much-needed firepower. The two combined for three of the team’s four RBI and three of the seven hits.
Worth mentioning
Getting it done on the mound: Tattnall secured the win on the mound, something it hasn’t had to do many times this season. The team’s four runs was the second lowest offensive output of the season; the Trojans scored two runs in their lone loss to Lakeside. Tattnall was averaging more than 13 runs per game.
Back-to-back wins: The teams also squared off Tuesday as Tattnall won that outing 7-2. Thursday’s win marks back-to-back wins since the Trojans lost their only game of the season Saturday.
They said it
Tattnall head coach Joey Hiller on winning with pitching: “We’ve scored a lot of runs this year, and the big question has been, ‘What are we going to do when we don’t score runs?’ Because sometimes it’s real cold and people don’t want to hit, so for the pitching to step up the way it has stepped up the last two games has been really nice.”
Hiller on rebounding from the loss Saturday: “We’re just staying the course. We’re continuing to focus on playing Tattnall baseball and doing it the best we can do it and working them and making corrections to any mistakes we make.”
What’s next?
Stratford travels to Columbus to face St. Anne-Pacelli Monday at 6 p.m. Tattnall will also be on the road at FPD Tuesday at 7 p.m.
This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 10:03 PM with the headline "Pitching lifts Tattnall Square past Stratford."