Cougars fall to William Byrd to end baseball season

Staff Report

The Pulaski County Cougars baseball team was sitting pretty last Saturday night late in their Region 3D contest against the Terriers at William Byrd High School in Roanoke.

The Cougars held a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, needing just six out to keep their season going.

Cougar reliever Cole Hutton had just recorded a strike out for the first out of the inning.

Then the defensive wheels fell off.

The Cougars committed the first of three errors in the inning. Those errors coupled with two walks and three singles allowed William Byrd to score five unearned runs and take a 6-5 lead into the top of the seventh.

Pulaski County battled, however, rallying in the top of the seventh with a run to tie the score at 6.

Chase Lawrence reached base on an error and eventually scored the tying run when, with the bases loaded with one out, Zach Dalton was hit by a pitch forcing Lawrence home.

But the rally was cut short as William Byrd struck out the final two Cougar batters in the inning setting up the Terriers with a chance to win it in the bottom of the seventh.

Again, the Cougars had trouble getting outs, as Byrd got two base runners on a walk and a hit batter before another error allowed the Terriers to score the go-ahead run for the 7-6 win.

Johnny Anderson started things on the mound for Pulaski County, going three and two-thirds innings. He allowed one run (unearned), striking out one and walking one.

Hutton pitched one and two-thirds, giving up four hits and five runs (none earned) and struck out four.

Brogan Epperly finished things off with two-thirds of an inning, allowing an unearned run and three walks, while gaining a strikeout.

Offensively, the Cougars scattered seven hits with Seth Carter getting a big two-run homer in the first inning.

Pulaski County ended the season with an even 10-10 record.