Amber Hatten | Laurinburg Exchange Fighting Scots senior Justin Bowers steps into the batter’s box during last week’s game against Pinecrest. The Scots split their series with the Partriots 1-1 after suffering a 1-0 loss in Southern Pines on Friday on a walk-off hit by Pinecrest in the bottom of the seventh inning. LAURINBURG — The bats went silent on the Fighting Scots in a 1-0 loss to Pinecrest on Friday in Southern Pines. The two Southeastern conference rivals found themselves in an old-fashioned pitcher’s dual going scoreless through six and a half innings.
On the mound for the Patriots was Nick Pry who threw all seven inning allowing zero runs off one hit with 12 strikeouts. The Scots put junior Matthew Hyatt on the mound and he had an equally impressive outing allowing one run off four hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
Scots head coach Chad Hill pulled Hyatt halfway through the seventh inning and put senior Justin Bowers on the mound to get the Scots their final two outs. Bowers allowed zero runs off one hit and rung up the Patriots for two strikeouts.
The Patriots won the game on a walk-off hit in the bottom of the seventh inning as Pry scored from second base on a hit that snuck past Scots short stop Donta Green to split their series with the Scots, 1-1.
The batting average for the Scots tanked on Friday to .043 as Bowers was the only player to put the bat on the ball.
With the loss, the Scots call to 1-3 in Southeastern conference play and are tied with Lumberton and Hoke at 1-3. The Scots are sitting in fourth place behind 3-1 Purnell, Pinecrest and Richmond. The Raiders have the best overall record at 11-4 just ahead of Scotland and Pinecrest both at 10-3.
The Scots picked up their 10th win of the season on Saturday against E.A. Laney, 5-0. The five runs scored by the Scots came off nine hits from six different players — Justin Ray, Austin Norton, Daly Marcano, Trey Armstrong, Tyler Faulk, Green and Bowers.
On the mound against the Buccaneers was Ray and Marcano. Ray got the start throwing four innings allowing zero runs off three hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Marcano came in to relieve Ray and threw three innings allowing zero runs off three hits with two strikeouts.
The Scots are back in action tonight as they host Hoke in Southeastern conference play at 7 p.m., weather permitting.
Amber Hatten can be reached at 910-506-3170.