By Eric Lusk
Sport Editor
elusk@elkintribune.com

EAST BEND — Ashe County hit three home runs on Friday at Forbush, but a three-run homer from the Falcons’ Justin Williams upstaged them all.

Williams’ long ball in the fourth inning stretched Forbush’s lead to 6-2. That gave the Falcons enough breathing room to hold off the Huskies down the stretch. Forbush won 10-8, with Williams finishing 3-for-3 and three runs scored on the night. He led off a three-run sixth inning with a single and stolen base.

“The middle of their lineup hit the ball well,” Forbush coach Jerome Cannon said of Ashe County, which played much better than its 0-5 conference record suggested.

“We were fortunate to get some timely hits when we needed them. Justin’s three-run home run ... that was a big hit in the ball game.”

Swirling winds blowing out to left field created a perfect hitter’s environment Friday evening. Sure enough, Ashe County capitalized, with Kyle Guyton and Evan Gray hit solo home runs in the first and second innings, respectively.

Forbush managed to keep pace in the runs department, notching one run in each of the first three frames. The Falcons led 7-2 after four innings.

The Huskies earned two runs back in the top of the sixth, but the Falcons answered with three more scores in the bottom of the frame. Turns out, they would need each one.

Jarrett Mullins followed Williams’ sixth-inning single with a one-out double into left field. Williams trotted home for an 8-4 game.

Mickey Andrews followed with a single into right field, scoring Mullins and pushing the lead to 9-4. Winning pitcher Adam Saunders helped his own cause by driving an RBI double into left field. The Ashe County fielder dove by just missed making a play, allowing another Forbush run home.

Saunders hung on in the seventh inning to earn his third win of the season. He struck out the first batter of the frame, but the next two were walked and the third was hit to load the bases.

A fielder’s choice by Cory Roten brought one run in for a 10-5 score. Guyton then followed with a first-pitch home run to straight centerfield. That scored three and pulled the Huskies to within 10-8.

Down to its final out, Ashe County got Andrew Sexton aboard with a seeing-eye single over third base. But Saunders rebounded to strike out Evan Gray to end the game. Saunders finished with 12 strikeouts on the night, including three straight in the fifth inning.

That was Gray’s only out of the game He finished 3-for-4 at the plate, with three RBIs. Guyton also was 3-for-4. Mullins paced Forbush’s hitting with a 2-for-3 performance and two runs. Mullins, Saunders and Clint Hunter each had doubles.

The Falcons (7-3, 5-2) beat North Wilkes 9-0 on Tuesday night. Jarrett Mullins struck out seven and allowed six hits in a complete-game effort. Mullins also was 3-for-3 from the plate, scoring a run.

Mickey Andrews was 2-4 with a walk and 3 RBI's. Chad Faircloth was 1-4 with 2 RBI's and Justin Williams was 1-3 with 2 RBI's.

Forbush scored 3 in the first, 5 in the 3rd and 1 in the 6th. The big hits in the 3rd were a bases loaded double by Chad Faircloth and a bases loaded double by Mickey Andrews.

Forbush 10,

Ashe County 8

Friday • at East Bend

Ashe County 110 002 4 — 8 3 1

Forbush 111 403 x — 10 3 1

WP: Adam Saunders; LP: Evan Gray