🍀 Divisional Game | High Point Hushpuppies @ Reidsville Luckies 🍀
Luckies beat the fried dough in huge divisional matchup
REIDSVILLE, NC — On a cloudy evening at Jaycee Park, the fried dough arrived for a big game that would have major implications for the division going forward.
And they stayed competitive for about five innings.
In the second inning, the Hushpuppies scored one, and the Luckies immediately responded with one of their own. In the fourth inning, High Point scored two runs, but Reidsville responded once again, this time with three runs of their own. After five innings, it was a one-run game and rain was starting to drizzle down.
The Luckies wanted some assurance to their lead, in case it got rained out, so they decided to score eight runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Hushpuppies tried to come back, but ultimately fell, 12-5.
This was a thrilling win for Luckies fans. Many people around the park had been looking forward to this for about a week for multiple reasons. For one thing, Luckies players have not been too shy about their disdain for their rivals, and for another, the Luckies only won two games against High Point all season last year, and they have two already just ten days into June. And now, the Luckies stand at 3-1 in divisional play.
Playoff baseball at Jaycee Park is something I am definitely hoping for, and the Luckies could participate if they keep this up. They have to finish in the top two in the Central Division, which is no easy task, but this start has my hopes up.
Lucky of the Game: Nigel Robinson reached base all five times he comes to the plate
Robinson was Mr. Consistency, making it to first base every time he stepped into that right-handed batter’s box. Robinson tacked on two runs, had an RBI, a stolen base, and a double in this pivotal divisional matchup.
Moment of the Game: Gavin Fleming makes the most of a bad situation, grabbing the ball, stepping on second, and throwing Christian Walker out at first for the double-play
When Christian Walker grounded it to pitcher Cole McLain, McLain wanted the double play. He tossed it to Gavin Fleming, but the throw was short. It was looking like a missed opportunity, but Fleming grabbed the ball, stepped on second, and showed off his arm by darting it to Ryne Rodrigues for the double play!
With this, Fleming ties former Luckies Travis Hammond and TJ Highsmith for most Moment of the Game awards of all time. Fleming now has five Ledger awards, which is only behind TJ Highsmith at seven.
Extra Bases
When you’re beating your least favorite team by seven runs, the press box is in a good mood.
On-Deck
The Luckies will be busy this week. Tuesday, they’ll be in Burlington in a game that won’t count in the standings.
Then things get crazy.
Four divisional games in four games against two teams will take place, and none of them should be easy. The Clayton Clovers have had a red hot start, and we will play them in an away game on Thursday and a home game on Saturday, not to mention that they went all the way to the ONSL Championship Series last July. They will also play the Wake Forest Fungo, who run-ruled them last Friday, in a home game on Friday and an away game on Sunday.
This is a season-defining stretch for the Luckies. Let’s see how they handle it.