Palmer Edwards delivers a first-inning strike against Forrest. Despite giving up a run in the bottom of the first, Edwards pitched seven stellar innings for the Golden Eagles, giving up just one run on five hits to go along with eight strikeouts. (Post Photos by Chris Siers)
By CHRIS SIERS
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
CHAPEL HILL — Have a night, Palmer Edwards.
Edwards delivered a gem for the Golden Eagles, silencing the Forrest bats through much of the seven innings pitched to claim the win on the mound.
Backing Edwards’ effort, the Eagles drove in a pair of eighth-inning runs to beat the Rockets on the road in Chapel Hill on Thursday night, 3-1.
The game got off to an inauspicious start for Palmer and the Eagles as the Rockets sat poised to blow the game open early.
A base hit and two hit batters loaded the bases for the Rockets with nobody out.
A Luke Allen single knocked in the first run of the game for Forrest.
A fielder’s choice and a 5-3 double play ended the early Rocket threat.
From there, Edwards and Forrest starter Travis Porter settled into a dandy of a pitcher’s duel, with both teams recording four-straight scoreless frames.
It wasn’t until the top of the fifth inning that Eagle third-baseman Brody Lovvorn connected on a two-out double to drive home Eli Laye for the tying run.
Forrest continued to threaten in the bottom of the sixth, but with two on and two outs, Edwards was able to pitch to contact and force a pop up to end the Forrest threat.
Shelbyville had a
Third-baseman Brody Lovvorn comes up firing a throw to first. (Post Photo by Chris Siers)
chance to score the go-ahead run in the seventh, but with two outs, William Bobo was intentionally walked and in the next at-bat, the Rockets forced a ground out to end the Eagle threat.
With his pitch count climbing, Edwards ended his night and slammed the door shut on the Rockets’ hopes of a walk-off with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
Fortune shined on Shelbyville in the top of the eighth with a one-out double by Lovvorn.
Caden Peacock followed him on base when he was hit by a pitch, setting up the game’s final two runs.
Edwards ground into a fielder’s choice, scoring Lovvorn and Blake Bone knocked in a key insurance run by also hitting into a fielder’s choice.
Having jumped in front 3-1, the Eagles turned to Michael Estrada to pitch the final inning.
The Golden Eagle reliever delivered.
Estrada sat the Rockets down in order in the bottom of the eighth to help land the Eagles the non-district win.
Lovvorn went 2-for-3 with a RBI to his credit, while Stephen Bobo went 2-for-4.
Shelbyville 000 001 02 — 3 6 0
Forrest 100 000 00 — 1 5 0
Shelbyville: Caden Duggin 1-for-4, Stephen Bobo 2-for-4, Brody Lovvorn 2-for-3, Ashton Whorley 1-for-3.
WP: P. Edwards
LP: Porter
