By Mark Schmerling

 

 

After an off night at the plate on Monday, March 23, the Wolverines responded on Tuesday by defeating Avery, 6-1, at Columbus.

 

The Wolverines are now 4-5 overall and 3-2 in Western Highlands Conference play.

 

The Wolverines and Vikings each scored a run in their respective half of the first, but Polk shut down Avery the rest of the game, while adding a run in the second, and two each in the fourth and fifth.

 

On Monday, Polk got fine pitching, as Konner Scruggs whiffed 13 batters. Scruggs, 3-1 on the season, with four very good outings, went all seven innings and pitched well enough for his team to win, but the Wolverines could only manage one run in a 3-1 loss to Mountain Heritage at Columbus.

 

Polk batters did crack some line drives against the Cougars (who they defeated, 10-7, at Burnsville last week), but they weren’t able to bunch them together.

 

After Scruggs made short work of the visitors in the top of the first on Monday, Polk got its first chance. Bryce Martin led off with a hard single to left, but Mark Mazzilli’s line shot was caught at first, with Martin holding his ground. However, a strikeout and a pop out later, and the Wolverines took the field.

 

The Cougars struck in the top of the third. A leadoff single followed by a strikeout and an infield single put runners on first and second. A single to left brought in the leadoff batter. Scruggs induced a groundout, and fanned the next batter.

 

In the home fourth, Polk got back that run, by playing small ball.

 

J.D. Edwards deposited a fly ball single into right-center. Daniel Painter’s well-placed sacrifice bunt put Edwards on second with one down. Scruggs then doubled deep to right, with Edwards scoring standing, ahead of the throw. That’s all the Wolverines could manage, with subsequent batters striking out and grounding out to end the inning.

 

The score remained tied, 1-1, until the top of the sixth, which began innocently enough when the first batter was out on a soft liner to second.

 

Trouble followed, however, when the Vikings got a line double to the left field corner, followed by a long double to right-center, which scored the previous batter. The Vikings added an insurance run on a hard single to left, when a slight bobble allowed the runner to score without a throw.

 

The only noise Polk was able to make after that was Noah Howell’s two-out double to right-center in the home seventh.

 

After the game, Stott praised Scruggs.

 

“He’s had four good outings; he’s 3-1. He gave us every chance to win.”

 

Rather than the Wolverines not being able to take advantage of opportunities, Stott emphasized, “We’re not giving ourselves any opportunities. Hitting with two strikes is an art.”

 

Polk’s Tuesday win over Avery was considerably more artful.

 

After JV games scheduled against Landrum and Madison on Wednesday and Thursday (March 25, 26), the Wolverines resume varsity play next Thursday (April 2), when they host Hendersonville.