Orange County and Madison County decided opening up the baseball season wasn’t enough, that they needed to play extra innings Monday.
Thanks to a Scott Clore RBI single that plated Mawyer in the top of the eight, Orange County prevailed, winning 8-7 over the Mountaineers in a thriller of an opener.
Orange jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning but Madison clawed back into it and then took a 6-5 lead in the third inning when Luke Ford scored on an error and Trey Deane ripping a two-RBI single to center to score Corey Helmick and Kody Dobyns. The Mountaineers then extended it to 7-5 advantage with a Benjamin Davidson RBI single in the fifth.
Orange tied the game back up though in the top of the sixth when Clore and Blane Jennings each hit RBI doubles. Then after a scoreless seventh, Clore came up with the gamewinner.
Clore finished 4-for-4 with two RBI and two doubles. Bryant Chiles went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and a home run. Caleb Tinsley and Ethan Turner each went 2-for-4 with a double each and Jennings had an RBI double. Luke Jarrell struck out seven for the Hornets in 4.2 innings and gave up one earned run. Landon Pounds struck out one in the eighth while retiring the side to seal the victory.
Deane, Davidson and Ford each went 2-for-3 with a double at the plate for Madison, with Deane notching two RBI and Davidson knocking in the one run in the fifth. Wade Fox also had an RBI on a double.
The Mountaineers left six on base but committed just one error.
Madison will look to bounce back on the road Thursday at Warren County while Orange County faces Culpeper at home Tuesday night.
