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Blue Ridge claims victory by forfeit
Asheville Christian Academy pulled its baseball players off the field last Thursday at Blue Ridge with Bobcat runners on second and third and nobody out in the bottom of the seventh of a 9-9 game.
After ACA players came off the field under the direction of their head coach, home plate umpire Tony Sutton explained that leaving the field of play would mean a forfeit thereby giving the Bobcats (6-2) the victory, according to Blue Ridge Coach Jim Nichols.
During the early innings, periods of light sleet and flurries fell but without any accumulation.
“Baseball in the mountains this time of year can be tricky, but both umpires felt that completing the game did not jeopardize the players on the field which was the bottom line to their decision,” Nichols said. “Everyone was disappointed at the timing in which they came off the field. I told my players after the game to never give up a battle just because a loss may be eminent. It’s sending a wrong message.”
Blue Ridge led 4-0 after four innings on run-scoring doubles by Nick Miles and Cody Goodwin plus a two-run homer by Brandon Magruder.
Goodwin was cruising along with a no-hitter through five innings before having to be pulled in the sixth with the bases loaded and nobody out and a run in.
Four more hits, two walks, and an error gave ACA a 9-4 lead. Nick Miles got the final two outs in the inning on weak ground balls.
Blue Ridge cut the gap to 9-5 in the bottom of the sixth after singles by Eric Farmer and Kalin Haskett and a fielder’s choice RBI grounder by Gustavo Moreno.
After the third out in the inning, ACA players rushed toward home plate to shake hands claiming it was too cold and hard to see to continue. However, the home plate umpire told both coaches that if the top of the seventh was completed quickly, the game would continue as he felt conditions were not unsafe, according to Nichols.
With Miles on the mound just four players batted.
The Bobcats rally in the bottom of the seventh started with Dylan Brooks and Miles walking. Goodwin singled in a run, and Eric Farmer had a two-run single cutting the gap to 9-8. After a walk to Cody Williams and a wild pitch, Haskett singled to tie the score.
Before Magruder could bat, the ACA coach pulled his players off the field, Nichols said.
Earlier in the week, a game at Andrews was rained out and rescheduled for April 6. Friday’s home game with Cherokee was postponed due to wet grounds and has not been reset.
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