Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Polk County’s varsity baseball team used a three-run sixth inning rally and clutch pitching Thursday to secure a hard-fought 6-5 victory over Patton in Mountain Foothills 7 Conference action in Morganton.

The Wolverines (8-10, 2-6) overcame an early deficit, taking the lead for good in the sixth. The victory gave Polk County a season sweep of the Panthers (8-10, 2-8) in conference play.

Gunnar Alm opened the game with a sharp single to right field and eventually scored on Avrey Hensley’s RBI single to give Polk County an early 1-0 advantage. The Wolverines extended their lead to 3-1 in the third inning when Alm doubled and scored on an error, followed by Hensley’s run-scoring double that drove in Mark Jarrett.

Patton responded with a three-run third inning, capitalizing on a pair of walks, two singles and a Wolverine error to take a 4-3 lead. Hensley ended the inning by throwing out a Patton runner at home to keep the deficit at one.

After two scoreless frames, Polk County broke through in the decisive sixth inning. Alex Perry singled to open the inning, with Nate Fagan following with a double to move courtesy runner Zalen McCraw to third. A passed ball allowed McCraw to score, and Noah Harden walked before Fagan scored on a Mason Beiler single.

With runners on first and third, the Wolverines executed a double steal that allowed Harden to score what proved to be the winning run.

Patton narrowed the gap to 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh when Wyatt Hullette tripled and scored on Aaron Duncan’s groundout. The Panthers threatened to tie or win, placing runners at first and third with two outs, but Beiler recorded the game-ending strikeout to secure the victory.

Perry earned the win on the mound, working six solid innings while allowing four runs on eight hits. He struck out four and walked three. Beiler pitched the seventh inning, recording two strikeouts while allowing one run.

Alm led Polk County’s 10-hit attack, going 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Hensley added two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Beiler and Jayce Edwards also collected two hits apiece, with Edwards delivering a sixth-inning double.

Polk County returns to action Monday, hosting Chase in another conference clash at The Bottoms.