Roswell outlasts Woodstock, 11-10, in eight innings

Facing Baseball American’s No. 11 Nationally-ranked Roswell Hornets, Woodstock junior centerfielder Jacob Bruce turned in a career night and ace left-hander Kent Emanuel did what he does best, but it was not enough as the Hornets rallied from an eight-run deficit to defeat the Wolverines, 11-10, in eight innings on March 4 in Roswell.

Batting in the No. 3 hole, Bruce went 4-for-4 with four runs scored, four RBI, a double, two triples and a stolen base, while the University of North Carolina signee Emanuel struck out seven batters and allowed just one hit over four scoreless innings of work.

Brandon Michea | Ledger-News Woodstock shortstop K.J. Reed makes a throw to first during his Wolverines 11-10 loss at No. 11 Nationally-ranked Roswell on March 4.

Roswell quickly took advantage of the pitching change, sending 21 batters to the plate over the fifth and sixth innings and scoring 10 runs on eight hits and six walks.

Woodstock answered back in the seventh, tying the game at 10-all on a sacrifice fly by Emanuel and an RBI single by Zach Hitt, but stranded runners at second and third, leaving the door open for the Hornets to win the game in the bottom of eighth – scoring on a two-out wild pitch.

Complimenting Bruce on the offensive front, leadoff man Drew Yeargin had a pair of hits and scored three runs, Emanuel drove in two runs, Hitt finished with two hits and three RBI, and Bennett Townsend had two hits and scored twice.

Following the loss to Roswell, Woodstock dropped a 12-2 decision to Sprayberry on Friday.

Townsend went 1-for-2 with an RBI single, while Hitt was 1-for-1 with a run scored, a triple and a walk.

Closing out the week at Union Grove, the Wolverines lost an 11-8 affair on a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh.

K.J. Reed (three RBI), Emanuel (RBI), Jimmy Kelley (RBI) and David Mason (RBI) highlighted Woodstock’s offensive production, each going 2-for-4.