After losing the season-opener two weeks ago to Caledonia, East Webster is bouncing back nicely in Blake Hutchison first year in Cumberland.
Following a win over Winona to close that first week, the Wolverines came back last week and had a big matchup with Class 5A New Hope. The Wolverines lost a lead midway through the game but got a walkoff base hit from senior Chandler Hodges to lead to a huge 6-5 win.
The Wolverines had trailed that game 2-0 in the first before scoring four runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead and that lead grew to 5-2 after four frames. New Hope, however, would come back and tie things up with a three-run fifth. The pitchers shut things down over the course of the next few innings until Hodges was able to deliver the game winner in the ninth for the win.
Out of EWHS’ eight hits, Hastings Gibson and Carson Norwood had two of those each and Norwood’s two RBI’s led the team. Jesse Roberts started the game and went 4.0 innings giving up one hit, two runs, four walks and he struck out two. He didn’t surrender a run in his last three innings. After Norwood pitched the fifth inning, Hodges threw the final 4.0 and gave up just one hit and no runs while walking just one.
Hutchison faced off against Oak Hill Academy on Saturday in Cumberland and the Wolverines were victorious in that game as well with a 13-3 victory in six innings. EWHS took advantage of five errors from the Raiders and three pitchers held the visitors to just two hits.
The second inning helped break the game open for the Wolverines as they scored four runs after Oak Hill had taken a 2-1 lead. After a run was scored in the third, EWHS dropped in four more across the plate in the fourth and scored three in the bottom of the sixth to take home the 10-run win.
Gibson had another two-hit day as did Kainan Reed who drove in three RBI. Hodges scored three runs and drove in two runs with a hit. Kaiden Simmons pitched 5.0 strong innings as the starter and surrendered just one hit with two unearned runs. He did struggle with control with six walks, but he struck out four batters. Cade Morrow and Kaleb Warnock pitched the sixth inning.
The Wolverines (3-1) will have a full week this week. Hutchison is scheduled to play his former team West point on Tuesday at home and then the Wolverines travel to Class 6A team Starkville on Thursday and have a return matchup with West Point on the road on Saturday. Those times are 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively.
