The Polk County baseball juggernaut continued its mastery over Western Highlands conference opponents Tuesday evening, March 29, steamrolling the visiting Gryphons of Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy by a score of 12-3.
Despite the lopsided nature of the final score, the contest remained close through the first three innings of play. Polk drew first blood, as Rooster Ross, aboard after working Gryphons starter Aaron Conner for a walk, scored on a double to left by Joel Booker. The Wolverines added to their lead in the second, as Roberto Taft singled and then scored on an Alec Philpott base hit between first and second, making it 2-0 after two.
After a scoreless third inning, the Gryphons managed to post a run in the top of the fourth, as speedy third baseman McKinnon Martin, aboard after being hit by a Philpott pitch, stole second and third and then scored on a wild pitch. But in the bottom of the fourth, it was all Polk, as the Wolverines exploded for six runs, finishing the inning with a commanding 8-1 lead.
Though the Gryphons managed to add single runs in each of the following two innings, it was no match for the Wolverines, who countered with two runs in each of the bottom of the fifth and sixth.
Booker wound up again leading Polk offensively, going 3 for 5 on the night with two RBI’s, while Alec Philpott helped his own cause with a 2 for 4 performance at the plate.
Defensively, Polk pitching was once again an ensemble performance. Sophomore Philpott took the mound to start the game and pitched four innings of one hit ball, striking out seven and walking none, improving to 3-0 on the season.  Taft worked the fifth, striking out the final three batters of the inning and leaving the bases full. Booker took over in the sixth and worked 1-1/3 before handing the ball over to Dakota Turner, who retired the final two batters in the top of the seventh.
“I would have liked to have seen more gusto out there tonight,” commented Polk head coach Ty Stott, but noted that “you can’t play perfect every game. It’s hard to put up zeroes out there every night,” said Stott, referring to Polk’s five shutout games so far this season. “But we won,” said Stott, “and any win is a good win.”
With Wednesday’s non-conference rematch versus East Rutherford postponed, the Wolverines (now 7-1 overall, 4-0 in the conference) travel to Black Mountain on Friday, April 1 to take on the Warhorses of Owen High in what promises to be a key Western Highlands conference showdown.