By Joey Morgan
CLEVER – Strafford is no stranger to Conway after being eliminated by the Bears in the district semifinals the past two seasons.
SEE PHOTO’S FROM WEDNESDAY’S GAME
The Indians hoped to change that during Wednesday’s Class 3 District 11 tournament in Clever.
Top-seeded Strafford did just that by rallying in the seventh inning to claim a 10-9 win in walk-off fashion against second-seeded Conway.
Wyatt Maples delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Indians, who will take on Stockton in a sectional game at 4 p.m. Monday, to victory.
Strafford trailed by five runs entering the final frame. Elijah Perkins started the rally in the seventh for the Indians with a two-run single. Strafford scored another run on a bases-loaded balk, before Maple’s heroic efforts.
“You know we played Forsyth a couple weeks ago and got down six runs in the top of the first and we just battled back to win it,” Strafford coach Shane Pierce said. “We talked before the game and we said it is never over until the final out is made. We played Conway last year and they beat us with a walk-off homerun. Tonight, even though we got down early, everything ended in our favor.
“I give all the credit in the world to Conway. They out played us the whole game but we were just able to find a few holes.”
Conway scored five runs in the top of the first inning and two in the second to take a seven-run lead.
The tempo changed for the Indians when Tony Caldwell hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning. The home run set the tone for the Indians the rest of the way.
“It was a good hitter’s count,” Caldwell said. “I was able to get my foot down and swing through the ball. When we get down in the game we will always fight back. At the plate, I tried to keep is simple and just win it for the seniors.”
Strafford had another big inning in the fifth when Mason Foley delivered a two-run single to bring the Indians within, 8-5.
Strafford continued to hold Conway scoreless through the sixth and seventh before capping their rally with five runs in the bottom of the seventh.
“It’s a good game every year,” Conway coach Clay Bilyeu. “Last year we won in similar fashion. We were down in the seventh inning and were able to come away with the win. When you are playing good teams, that’s just the way it is. They had a lot fight in them and never game up even when we got up 7-0.”
