By John Fletcher Roberson's Bobby Hubbard tries to break up the throw from Tuscola's Dennis Downey after Hubbard was forced out at second base.

Tuscola batters hit Rams hard

By Phil Alexander
POSTED: May 3, 2002 11:51 p.m.

ASHEVILLE - Usually, a three-hitter is enough to get a win.

It didn't work out that way for Roberson Rams hurler Kory Radford on Friday, as all three Tuscola Mountaineers were home runs that led Tuscola to an 8-5 win at Roberson.

The Mountaineers (17-1, 13-0) will clinch the top berth from the Mountain Athletic Conference by winning one of their three remaining games. Going two-for-three will clinch the conference title outright.

Tuscola received a two-run blast from No. 9 hitter Nathan Lowe in the second inning, a grand slam by leadoff hitter Steven Reinhold in the fourth and a solo shot from No. 5 batter Blake Murphy in the fifth.

In fact, only one of the 13 runs didn't score off a home run, as Roberson countered with Ryan Radford's two-run homer in the fourth and Kenny Smith's three-run jack in the seventh, his 10th homer of the year.

"I made three bad pitches, and they hit them all out," said Kory Radford. "That is amazing."

Tuscola jumped out to a 3-0 lead after Murphy walked and later scored on a wild pitch that came as he was threatening the suicide squeeze.

Jon Merrell had moved Murphy over on a bunt, but he was safe himself when catcher Blair Wells threw high to first. Lowe brought Merrell in when he took Radford's 1-1 delivery over the high wall in center field.

"We probably helped out, putting some folks on base that helped those three hits hurt a little worse," said Rams coach Tom Smith.

Reinhold's slam came after Murphy and Lowe walked and Merrell took a pitch in the back.

"It felt great," said Reinhold. "We were big today at clutch times in the game. Now I think we'll get the recognition that we deserve. They (the Rams) are a great team; it was like a college-level baseball game."

The Rams came into the game ranked third in the state 3-A baseball coaches' poll while the Mountaineers were eighth, even though Tuscola beat the Rams 10-4 in Waynesville earlier this season.

Kenny Smith's blast to right-center gave the Rams some hope, coming with one out in the bottom of the seventh and driving in Dan Fielder and Kory Radford. But Tuscola right- hander Eryk McConnell (6-0), who recorded five strikeouts and two walks in a complete-game win, got two fly outs to end the game.

"We put it in play. We've got some kids that have hit the ball real well all year," said Tuscola coach Billy Shepherd, noting his team's batting average of better than .370 coming into the game. "It was two good teams playing, and they're the team in the area that everybody's been trying to catch."

After the game, the Rams' thoughts had turned away from winning the conference crown to hoping for another shot at the Mounties in the 3-A state playoffs.

"That (a conference title) is like bragging rights," said Kory Radford. "The playoffs is a whole different story."

"(In) baseball, it's hard to get the three-game sweep," added Kenny Smith, who was on the 2000 state 3-A championship team. "It's going to be tough to beat us the third time. It's not just (wanting) to beat them; I want that (championship) ring."

Contact Alexander at 232-5837 or PAlexander@CITIZEN- TIMES.com.