Warriors flip the script in fifth

It took a few innings for the White County offense to find its rhythm Monday night, but once it did, the Warriors didn’t waste the opportunity.

Trailing early, White County erased a two-run deficit with a five-run fifth inning and went on to secure a 5-2 win over Livingston Academy.

The Wildcats struck first, using a pair of singles in the opening inning to take a 1-0 lead. They added another in the second with a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a timely single, building a 2-0 advantage that held through the middle innings.

White County broke through in the bottom of the fifth.

Kolt Norris reached on an error, and Kaden Seibers followed with a single to center to put two on. Norris later came home on a ground ball from Cole Gentry to cut into the deficit, and with two outs, Austin Pionke delivered an infield hit that tied the game at 2-2.

The momentum didn’t stop there.

Another Livingston error put Griffin Adams aboard, and Preston Taylor made the Wildcats pay with a bases-clearing double. Brewington followed with a single to bring Taylor home, capping a five-run frame that flipped the game in White County’s favor.

With the lead in hand, the Warriors defense handled the rest.

Livingston went down in order in the sixth, and while White County put two more runners on with singles from Lain Stone and Gentry, the Warriors couldn’t add insurance. It didn’t matter.

After a leadoff hit-by-pitch in the seventh, White County quickly shut the door with a strikeout and a game-ending double play to take the win.

Will Thomas went the distance on the mound, throwing 98 pitches. He allowed two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out two.

White County now turns its attention to the road, traveling to Livingston for the second half of the series with a chance to repeat Monday night’s result.

WHITE COUNTY BOX SCORE: 

HITS: Cole Gentry 2, Austin Pionke 1, Preston Taylor 1, Clay Brewington 1, Will Thomas 1, Kolt Norris 1, Kaden Seibers 1, Lain Stone 1 
RUNS: Austin Pionke 1, Griffin Adams 1, Preston Taylor 1, Kolt Norris 1, Kaden Seibers 1 
RBI: Preston Taylor 2, Cole Gentry 1, Austin Pionke 1, Clay Brewington 1 
2B: Preston Taylor 
TB: Cole Gentry 2, Preston Taylor 2, Austin Pionke 1, Clay Brewington 1, Kaden Seibers 1, Kolt Norris 1, Lain Stone 1, Will Thomas 1 
HBP: Cole Gentry 

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