| Dawgs need extra inning to drop Dresden |
By: Sara Reid — Special to the Weakley County Pres
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It took all of eight innings to reach an outcome, but the Gleason Bulldogs successfully completed several comebacks and defeated the Dresden Lions, 6-5, on an Evan Orr single this past Monday afternoon in Gleason.
Through sleet and rain, the Lions picked up an early 1-0 lead in the first inning and increased the margin to 2-0 in the third. Gleason lit up the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, but the Lions added a run in the fourth to take a 3-1 advantage. The home team tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the contest and took its first lead in the fifth, 4-3. Tying the game again in the seventh, the Dresden defense held strong and forced an extra inning of play. Though the Lions put a run on the board in the extra frame to pull ahead, 5-4, a liner to right field from Orr drove in two runs and put the game firmly in the win column for the Bulldogs.
Greg Alderdice led off for the Lions and connected on a single in his first at bat. After stealing second base, he was driven home on a Justin Hatler single to put Dresden ahead 1-0 in the top of the first. Pitcher Eric Evans silenced the Gleason bats and recorded two strikeouts to end the inning with the Lions in front, 1-0.
Gleason hurler Zach Wallace likewise recorded two strikeouts in the second inning and neither team put up any offense, but in the third, Hatler and Matt Beatty walked and Evans singled to score Hatler and put the Lions ahead 2-0.
Gleason quickly answered when Alex Verdell led off with a single and was driven in on a Colin Bennett double to cut the lead in half, 2-1, after three.
In the fourth, Matt Chappell and Jonathan Boyd were hit by pitches and Peeler walked to load the bases. Alderdice singled to score Chappell and put Dresden ahead 3-1.
Wallace led off the fourth with a walk and Chase Griffin hit a line drive deep to left field to give Wallace enough time to get to third. A line drive from Matt Mayo scored Wallace and a sacrifice grounder by Verdell drove in Griffin to tie the game 3-3 after four.
In the fifth inning, Matt James was walked and Wallace hit a ground ball to left field to drive in a run and give Gleason a 4-3 lead.
Neither team scored in the sixth, but in the seventh, Hatler singled and Beatty hit a double to deep left field. James was sent in to pitch for the Bulldogs and he walked Dwayne Bailey to load the bases. Chappell’s grounder tied the score, 4-4, and with the score still knotted after Gleason’s next turn to bat, the gamed turned to a decisive extra inning of play.
Peeler singled to reach first base and stole second on an errant pick-off throw to first. Alderdice followed with a fly ball that fell in to advance Peeler to third and Hatler hit a line drive to score Alderdice and put the Lions back on top, 5-4.
Dresden put in Roe Hughes at pitcher and he walked Wallace and Griffin. Mayo singled, but Griffin was tagged out at second. With two on base, Orr hit a line drive to deep center field to bring home Wallace and Mayo and give the home team the hard-fought 6-5 victory.
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