Defensive gems, big inning carry Lafayette past Fort White

Published 12:17 pm Wednesday, March 22, 2017

By Mike Jones
michael.jones@gaflnews.com

Benton Walker had two hits and made an important catch in the outfield to help Lafayette defeat Fort White. 

MAYO — After a few quick innings to start Monday’s game, Fort White opened the door with defensive mistakes in the third inning, and Lafayette was ready to pounce.  

The Hornets took advantage of four walks and two errors as they scored five runs in the inning and cruised to an 8-1 victory.

It was a good win for the Hornets, who have experienced some tough late-game losses this season, including an extra-inning loss to FWHS on Feb. 27. 

“It’s just nice to win,” said Lafayette coach Tim Hanson. “We have given up some late-inning stuff — 3-0 leads, 3-1 leads — in the seventh inning, but it’s baseball. We’ve just got to keep getting better.”

Benton Walker triggered the Hornets at the plate and on defense. He went 2 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored. Walker lined an RBI single to center field in the third inning to put LHS ahead 3-0.

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With a runner on first and Fort White (4-4) trailing 5-1 in the top of the fifth, Walker chased down a long fly ball off the bat of Jacob Sosa in left-center field that would have easily scored a run had it fallen. 

“Benton can cover so much ground from gap to gap,” Hanson said. “That was a big play. Defense, that’s kind of our strong suit right now.”

Lafayette had defensive gems in the outfield and also the infield. The Hornets turned two 4-6-3 double plays. With one out and the bases loaded in the seventh, LHS reliever Chi Chi Purcell got a ground ball to finish the game as Dylan Mock flipped to Shane Harris who fired to Caleb Land at first.

Mock, Land and Purcell all saw action on the mound, giving up a combined five hits. Land started the game and pitched three scoreless innings. He allowed one hit and struck out three. Mock notched four strikeouts in two innings and gave up an unearned run. Purcell threw the final two innings.

Land had an RBI single. Mock lined a two-RBI double to right field in the fifth inning. 

LHS (2-7) hosts Marianna on Wednesday at 2 p.m. for an in-school game.