🍀 Non-League Game | Carolina Yankees @ Rockingham Sammies 🍀
Sam Melton, the original Sammy, walks it off
REIDSVILLE, NC — The Luckies donned the Rockingham Sammies jerseys in this non-league game against the Carolina Yankees, which they won, 6-5.
The Yankees jumped out to an early lead, and though Brody Ray had an RBI in the first inning for the Sammies, they failed completely to generate offense, in part thanks to the job Dustyn Lucas did on the hill.
After six innings, the Sammies were down, five runs to one, with the Yankees in the driver’s seat. After a few innings of different players on the mound, Shannon Edwards, Jr., gained full control of the bump from innings six through nine, allowing just one hit and no runs. This stopped any momentum the Yankees had, and may have transferred to the Luckies.
Cole Price, Nigel Robinson, and Jacob Trivette scored in the bottom of the seventh, narrowing the gap between the teams to just one run. And as previously mentioned, Edwards did a marvelous job on the mound. Heading into the bottom half of the ninth inning, the Sammies were down by one run.
Cole McLain and Landon Parker were walked back-to-back. Substitute Ryne Rodrigues hit an RBI single, and pinchrunner Calvin Keesler came home and smacked home plate to tie things up!
As Rodrigues stole second with ease, two runners were in scoring position for Carson Moore, who struck out. Gavin Fleming was intentionally walked with a full count, and the bases were loaded with one out. Cole Price had hurt his ankle, so Sam Melton came in his place at the bottom of the order.
Melton hammered it out to deep right center field, and Landon Parker ran all the way home for the walk-off RBI single, giving Rockingham the win!
Lucky of the Game: Shannon Edwards, Jr. locks down the offense of the Carolina Yankees from innings six through nine to help Luckies win
For the second time this year, the Lucky of the Game award goes to a pitcher.
Now, when Reidsville’s offense was mostly putting up a nothing-burger, the Yankees were looking to capitalize and pile on runs. Edwards, Jr. did not allow that whatsoever, and his ability to completely stop up the Yankees on the mound allowed Rockingham to get back in it. Kudos to Edwards for an amazing night on the mound.
Moment of the Game: Sam Melton walks it off with a single into deep right center, bringing home Landon Parker to complete the comeback
Listen above to my post-game interview with Sam Melton, who detailed his thought process going up to the plate, how it feels to hit a walk-off, and if he plans to celebrate.
As mentioned earlier in this edition, Melton was a substitute for Cole Price. Price was injured on a beautiful 6-4-3 he turned, but thankfully, he is just fine and will not miss any time, but he did suffer a cut on his ankle.
Extra Bases
For new subscribers who may not know this, last year, I did an interview with former MLB player and two-time World Series runner-up Bernie Carbo. Click on the edition below to listen to the full interview.
On-Deck
Thursday is a revenge game against the Hushpuppies, and Friday is one of the pivotal games against the Wake Forest Fungo we have been looking forward to.