BOONVILLE —On the stats sheet from last Tuesday night’s game, Starmount and Forbush were nearly identical in every category save one: runs scored.

Both teams connected for 11 hits, Starmount committed three errors, while Forbush had two, and Starmount left nine on base, while Forbush left on eight. But when it came to runs scored, Forbush drove in 11 while Starmount was only able to push five across the plate.

“The score is 11-5. Both teams have 11 hits. Forbush played a heck of a ball game. We have to get it together if we’re going to try and do something in the next couple of weeks,” said Starmount Coach Mike McCann.

While the both teams connected for a combined 22 hits in the game, Forbush Coach Taylor Rutledge credits a hitting marathon for helping his team produce offensively.

“We had our hitting marathon rained out on Saturday. So I told them come up here on Monday and we hit all day because that’s what the marathon is. It’s 100 innings. So I got them up here at eight o’clock. It showed today,” Rutledge said.

The Falcons built a 4-1 lead by the third inning and continued to do damage offensively. However, the Rams struck back in the bottom of the fourth and were able to drive in a pair of runs on three hits. Alex Barr led off for Starmout by safely reaching first on an error. During Tanner Mathis’ at-bat, Barr safely stole second. Mathis connected on a pitch and ripped a double to right field, driving in Barr.

Dillon Bray followed up with another double and another RBI for Starmount, driving in Mathis to make it a one run ballgame. Although the Rams drove in two in the fourth, Forbush drove in two more in the top of the fifth.

After Bray struck out the lead off batter, Holden flied out to centerfield for the second out in the inning.

With two outs, Caleb Brawley took the walk to put runners to reach base first for the Falcons.

Grayson Fulp drove in Brawley with an RBI double to centerfield.

Fulp crossed the plate when Nathaniel Hodges hit a single that bounced past second base, putting the Falcons up 6-3.

Starmount picked up another run in the bottom of the fifth after Jake Barr hit a triple to the centerfield fence.

Wesley Cockerham entered the game to run for Barr and scored after a Forbush error. Forbush was able to add four more runs in the sixth.

Holden drove in the first two runs in the top of the sixth with a single to leftfield.

After Holden hit, Caleb Brawley stepped to the plate and took the intentional walk.

Grayson Fulp loaded the bases after he was hit by a pitch. Forbush picked up a third run on a wild pitch in the sixth as well.

With runners in scoring position, Hodges hit a sacrifice fly ball to drive in Brawley for the final run in the inning. Both teams put one more run on the board in their final inning at bat.

Forbush its final run on an error in the top of the seventh.

Starmount picked up its final run when Dillon Dobson stole home on a wild pitch.

The win for the Falcons marks a key comeback after a pair of tough road losses last week. During last week’s road trips, the Falcons were defeated by West Wilkes and Elkin.

“Its tough to come back from giving games away in the conference last week and coming in and playing a big game. That takes a lot of fortitude,” Rutledge said.

The win for the Falcons marked not only a big rivalry win, but a big win when it comes to playoff rankings as well.

“It’s a big win as far as standings and getting ready for the playoffs. But then again, those cats are very, very capable of winning the conference tournament. We still have to play,” Rutledge said.

Forbush will finish its regular season against Wilkes Central on Thursday afteroon while the Rams will face North Wilkes for their final game of the regular season.



Forbush 1 1 2 0 2 4 1- 11 11 2

Starmount 1 0 0 2 1 0 1- 5 11 3