Eleven seems to be the magic number for Polk County’s baseball team this season. The Wolverines have averaged 11 runs per game in each of their nine wins this season. During Friday evening’s visit to Marshall, it was more of the same, as Polk triumphed over conference foe Madison County 11-6.
With a shortage of healthy pitchers still plaguing the Wolverines, Coach Ty Stott was again forced to dip into his JV roster, tapping Elijah Williams as Friday night’s starter.
Unlike Williams’ first varsity outing four nights earlier, when the sophomore pitched a solid 5-2/3 innings against Swain, Madison hitters were not as charitable, roughing up the sophomore for three runs in the bottom of the first. With just one out and the bases loaded, Stott lifted Williams in favor of Roberto Taft, who managed to stop the bleeding and record the final two outs of the inning.
Although the Patriots held the early lead at the end of the first by a score of 3-1, the Wolverines came charging back in the top of the second to knot the game at three apiece, and then added four more runs in the top of the third to take a 7-4 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Madison hitters made a run for it, touching up Taft for three runs to draw within one, but after that it was all Polk, as the Wolverines added two runs in the sixth inning and two insurance runs in the seventh for the final margin of victory.
Taft picked up the win, working 4-2/3 innings and allowing just three hits while striking out four, improving to 3-0 on the season. Dakota Turner pitched in relief for the Wolverines in the final two innings, holding the Patriots scoreless, including pitching out of a two on, one out jam in the bottom of the sixth.
Offensively, the Wolverines hammered Madison hurler Tyler Rogers for 10 hits on the evening. Standouts at the plate for Polk included Andre Overholt, who went 4 for 5 on the night with a double and two RBIs, and Taft, who went 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs.
With the win, Polk improves to 10-2 on the season overall, and 6-1 in Western Highlands conference competition. The Wolverines return home today, Tuesday April 12, taking on conference opponent Mountain Heritage High School. The Cougars will be looking to avenge the 12-0 shutout handed to them by the Wolverines in Burnsville on March 18.