Concordia beats Winsboro in T-ball game game with 77 runs
Published 12:01 am Friday, July 1, 2016
VIDALIA — For the third time in his young T-ball career, Andy Keith turned an unassisted triple play, which helped the Concordia T-ball All-Star team come from behind to beat Winnsboro, 41-36.
The teams traded seven-run innings in the opening three innings of the game.
Winnsboro put Concordia’s back against the wall in the top of the fourth when the host team was limited to three runs.
Winnsboro took a 26-25 lead in the bottom of the fourth, and the floodgates appeared to be opening. Andy, standing in the circle, caught a popup, and the opposing base runners were unaware. Andy recorded all three outs himself and ended the inning with his team down just one run.
“I made (a triple play) last year and two this year,” Andy said. “They didn’t tag up, and I caught it and tagged second and first.”
Concordia head coach Trey Keith said limiting a team to fewer than seven runs left the comeback effort in reach.
“Getting three outs and holding the team to less than seven runs is absolutely critical,” Keith said. “Even if we hold them to five or six runs, at the end of the game, it matters.”
Jordan Morrow gave Concordia the lead with a two-RBI triple in the top of the fifth, headlining a 16-run rally for his squad that gave the All-Stars a 41-26 lead.
Winnsboro scratched across 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth to narrow the margin. First baseman Carter Clayton recorded the first out of the inning, taking the ball to the base himself, and Andy fielded grounders and threw to Carter for the final two outs of the game.
For Concordia, Jakyron Johnson reached base and scored in all five at-bats. Rankin Wiggins, Rylan Barfoot, Ryder Smith and Gage Stowers were all 5-5 with four runs scored.
Concordia hosts Caldwell at 6 p.m. today for its second game of the tournament.
Trey said in future games, he and his coaching staff will try to give more focused instructions to his team from the dugout to avoid situations where his players are confused by getting conflicting directions from parents and coaches while they attempt to make a play.
“We’ve trained them and coached them well enough so that they know what to do,” Keith said. “I think they get nervous. Tomorrow, we’re going to tone it back and little bit. I’ve got confidence in them and they’ll get it done tomorrow.”