GOLDEN LEAF INVITATIONAL: Freshman comes through for Eagles

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 19, 2017 10:00 AM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

WILSON -- Put me in coach.

And Rosewood head coach Jason King would be wise not to take Will Albert out of the starting lineup just yet.

A freshman, Albert made the most of his first-ever varsity start Tuesday afternoon. Penciled in as the No. 9 batter, the right fielder proved his worth -- a 4-for-4, three-RBI performance that helped the Eagles come from behind to defeat Parrott Academy 12-8 at venerable Fleming Stadium on a breezy, sunny Tuesday afternoon.

Albert made his first varsity appearance one day earlier -- a single at-bat against Southern Nash.

"He's a freshman, he works hard," King said. "We like what he's been doing at the JV level all season. It just so happened with who started on the mound (Max White), there's a vacancy right field.

"We put him out there to see what he could do, and he delivered."

Particularly in the seventh inning.

Patriot starter JoJo Spear plunked Boone Moody and issued a free pass to Stalen Massengill to ignite the rally. Albert stepped up to the plate moments before Parrott head coach Robert Kravitz called Reynolds Barringer from the bullpen.

Barringer worked Albert to a 2-2 count.

Albert sawed off a change-up to stay alive.

The next pitch. Money.

Albert poked a single into right field that plated Moody and tied the game at 8-all.

"A fast pitch -- right over the plate where I like it," said the soft-spoken Albert, who managed a slight grin. "I was just trying to get on base to help out the team and get the lead-off man (Chance Howard) back up. I just tried to do what they needed me to do."

Howard followed with a sac fly to the same spot that scored Massengill.

Eagles 9, Pats 8.

Albert crossed on Jonathan Peacock's double as the merry go round on the basepaths spun out of the Patriots' control. Peacock raced home on Kolby Harris' base knock to right field. Derek Neal (3-for-5) capped the five-run uprising with an RBI single.

King went to the bullpen.

Moody replaced reliever Tucker Chapin on the cliff in the bottom of the seventh. The fast-working, hard-nosed righty threw nothing but heat and walked the first batter he faced. He sat down the next three Patriots on strikeouts.

Save No. 2 for Moody.

Rosewood extended its win streak to 13.

King said the game mirrored the team's comeback less than 24 hours earlier against Southern Nash, a 10-9 win.

"We're not playing our cleanest baseball of the season right," he said. "I don't know if it's because it's Spring break and they're teenagers. I don't know if it's because we're just a little bit out of routine...not having practice, but just playing.

"I'm confident these guys will get back into the zone when we get back to school. We've had our feet to the fire two days in a row. When we had plenty of opportunities to say 'it's not our day,' we stayed focused mentally."

Particularly a freshman -- who just may have earned a spot on the varsity roster.

Don't take him out coach.