Lynn dips into the honey, provides key hit for Eagles
By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on May 15, 2014 1:48 PM
aetzler@newsargus.com
After Jordan Lynn was thrown out for the first time all season trying to steal a base, he turned to what the Rosewood baseball team considers the key to their 13-game winning streak.
Honey.
Lynn took a swig from a bottle of honey, named "Berry the Bear," kept in the dugout and hoped it would help his performance. Lynn tripled to center field during his next at-bat and drove in the game's first run.
The Eagles eventually defeated Gates County, 2-1, in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A playoffs. Rosewood entertains Carolina Conference foe Lakewood on Saturday. A game time has not been determined.
"Reed (Howell) looked it up online and found that honey increases athletic performance, so he told us he thought it would help us and the first game we did we ended up 10-running the team," Lynn said. "So we've been doing it ever since."
Lynn's hit was one of just five the Eagles could muster against Gates County's Stephen Umphlett. The tall left-hander had the Eagles off balance for much of the game, mixing a slow looping curveball with his fastball.
The Eagles struggled to wait and hit the ball to the opposite field, which resulted in many weak ground-ball outs. Despite the win, they were out-played by the Red Barons.
"We had routine plays we didn't make," Rosewood coach Jason King said. "We didn't make good adjustments at the plate, we didn't execute our bunts like we wanted. Quite honestly, the ball just bounced our way."
Luckily for the Eagles they were helped by one of Howell's best outings on the mound all year. The senior felt as good as he has all year and shot down the Red Barons with 13 strikeouts. He allowed two hits and one unearned run in seven innings.
Howell mixed in his curveball throughout the night, but his fastball was nearly untouchable as he consistently blew it past the Gates County hitters.
"Once I realized I was locating my fastball, I knew I could throw it and they couldn't hit it," Howell said. "I felt great. This was probably one of my sharpest (games)."
Howell kept his composure in a close game and never got flustered with the lack of run support. And in the bottom of the fourth he got the support he needed from Jordan's brother, Corey.
After Brent Breedlove reached on an error and Ethan Chapin walked, Corey came to the plate with the game tied at 1-1. He blooped a base hit into center field that scored Breedlove and gave the Eagles a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
"He came up to me and was like 'dude we're the only ones with an RBI that's cool right?' And yeah that's cool, but he's a good player and you put him in a spot like that he'll do something good there," said Corey to Jordan.