The Coffee Trojans were running out of time on Wednesday night. After taking a 6-3 lead in the first inning against the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes, the ‘Canes battled back with two in the third and two in the fifth while keeping the Trojans off the board.
Coffee was trailing 7-6 entering the bottom of the seventh. Nothing would have made Fitzgerald happier than to cross the county line and take one from the Trojans.
Gavin McElroy and the others in the middle of Coffee’s line-up had different plans.
In the seventh, McElroy welcomed a new Fitzgerald pitcher with a game-tying home run to center on the first pitch he saw. Just like that, the game was tied at seven. Hunter Klesko followed and took a different path. He saw five pitches and, on a 3-2 offering, doubled to center. He advanced to third on a Taeven Harden single. Next up was Morgan Lewis, getting his first at-bat of the game. Lewis singled to center, scoring Klesko for the game-winning run.
Coffee’s pair of Hardens – cousins Taeven and Reid – led the way offensively. Taeven went 3-4 with two RBI and a run. Reid had a 2-3, three-RBI, one-run day. McElroy scored twice and walked twice to go with his home run.
Eli Vickers, the Trojans’ fourth pitcher of the game, earned the win with a two-inning outing. He struck out three, didn’t walk anyone, and didn’t give up any hits or runs.
The Trojans have won four in a row and finish the non-region schedule this weekend with games at Savannah Christian Friday (6 p.m.) and at Richmond Hill on Saturday (1 p.m.). Coffee is 5-2 thus far.
