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Princeton fights off butterflies to win series opener

By Barry Merrill
NL Publisher

6 June 2007 — The stomach butterflies of playing in a state championship in Five County Stadium seemed to bite East Surry Friday afternoon, while Princeton fought them off in a pivotal 7-3 Bulldog win.

The win, in the opening game of the three game series, was in some ways the deciding contest, while it would be late Saturday afternoon before the series was officially over.

Early in the contest, Princeton clearly took the upper hand. With the Cardinals making uncharacteristic errors on routine plays, throwing wildly to first several times, Princeton got a run home in the first, and two more home in the third.

East Surry started their second best pitcher in the game, but after the early jitters, he settled down and in the middle of the game was retiring the Bulldogs in order.

Princeton’s Colin Parker proved to be effective on the mound, frustrating the potent Cardinal attack. He notched ten strikeouts in getting Princeton into the top of the fifth, but gave up two runs in that inning, and Princeton Coach Bruce Proctor summoned shortstop Ryan Daughtry to the mound in relief.

The first pitch Daughtry made resulted in a grounder to Michael Radford, who had come in from center to take over at short, and he missed on the flip to second baseman Andrew Cobb to get the runner at second, allowing the tying run to score.

Daughtry got out of the inning without allowing any more runs, but in the top of the sixth, the Cardinals got things going again. Daughtry gave up a hit and a walk and gave up two balls on the next batter when Pitching Coach Justin Willoughby came out to the mound. While some of the players were expecting to get chewed out, Coach Willoughby came out with a smile and effectively cut the tension as the infielders gathered at the mound all broke out with matching smiles.

Daughtry ended up walking the batter, loading the bases, but he got out of the inning without a run scoring.

In the bottom of the sixth, Adam Nethercutt got things going for the Bulldogs with a single. Andrew Cobb followed with a triple that scored Nethercutt with the go ahead run. Parker and Radford followed with singles as the East Surry pitcher ran out of gas and Princeton claimed a four run lead, 7-3.

In the top of the seventh, Daughtry allowed another walk, but registered his third strikeout, and then got a game-ending double play on a grounder to third baseman Dustin Pate.

Monday, Coach Proctor was to comment about Friday’s butterflies. “Yes, it affected both teams, but I felt good during batting practice before the game. I reminded (catcher Daniel) Gerrell about playing here three years before, and he said, ‘Coach, it feels like playing at home.’”

Parker, Nethercutt and Justin McLamb were all on that team that played in the state championship at Five County Stadium in 2004.

Daughtry and Parker led Princeton with two hits apiece.

Daughtry picked up the win on the mound, allowing just one hit in 2 1/3 innings while walking three and striking out three. Parker allowed seven hits in his 4 2/3 innings, walking just three while getting ten strikeouts.

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