Lyle, Bartow Hold Off Lakeland For 7-5 Win

For every close pitcher’s duel or blowout win that seems over by the second inning, we often forget that the potential for heart-pounding finishes still remains a possibility in high school baseball. Tuesday night, this was most definitely the case as the Lakeland Dreadnaughts, left for dead and down by five runs going into the bottom of the sixth inning, scored three runs and nearly stole a win away from the Bartow Yellow Jackets. Unfortunately, that dream was shattered by Bartow closer Logan Lyle, shutting things down for a 7-5 Yellow Jackets victory.

After giving up seven unanswered runs following a two-run first inning — with those runs being driven in by a Cole Brutcher RBI single and an error that later brought the junior around to score — many teams would have given in hope and thrown in the towel. But the Dreadnaughts aren’t one of those teams.

Finally showing some life, the sixth-inning rally began with an RBI single from shortstop Zach Malvasia, which scored Brock Barger and gave the team their first run in five innings. Afterwards, Josh Reynolds had an RBI single of his own and Malvasia scored the team’s third run of the inning by an error, but the rally was stopped and the Dreadnaughts (0-8) went down quietly in the seventh inning.

The Yellow Jackets were led on offense by Lyle and right fielder Tyler Brown, the latter of whom notched three hits, including a fifth-inning triple. Catcher Nicky Gibbs, in his only official at-bat of the night, hit a home run to left field that put the Yellow Jackets on the scoreboard, while Ryan Pierce put the team gave the team a lead they’d never give back with an RBI single in the team’s three-run fourth inning. The only innings that Bartow’s explosive offense didn’t score in on Tuesday night were the first and seventh.

Starting for the Yellow Jackets on Tuesday night was Riley Troutt, who definitely showed why manager Daniel Payne is counting on him to be their big fish in 2016. Throwing four innings of two-run ball, Troutt struck out five and only allowed a single hit after the rough patch he hit in the first inning.

Opposing Troutt was junior Matt Dye, who pitched four innings and struck out five as well, but was unable to get the Dreadnaughts that elusive first win of the season.

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