Hornets Use “Strong” Armed Pitcher to Outlast Hurricanes

It was an inauspicious start for the Weeki Wachee Hornets (6-4) in their Friday night victory over the Citrus Hurricanes (2-8) at the Hornets’ Nest. Though they went on to win the matchup 2-1, the first inning opened about as poorly as the Green and Black could hope. After facing loaded bases early, Junior RHP Jack Strong locked in and was lights out throughout the rest of the night. Head Coach Patrick McHugh discussed his pitcher’s clutch performance after the game.

“Jack has been throwing real well all year,” said Coach McHugh. “This is his fourth start. I think he has only given up one earned run all year in four starts. We are very comfortable with him throwing on Friday nights. We got a chance. We are going to be in any of those games. [It] was not the ideal way to start the game to go error, hit, hit, but he beared down and they only scored one on a passed ball. We got out of that inning and really, they did not threaten us again until the seventh.”

Starting the game off with an error on the very first at-bat by Citrus’ Cade Arnold gave way to a pair of hits for the next two batters to put the junior pitcher in a precarious position. Strong proceeded to strike out the next three players, while only surrendering one run when Arnold stole home on a wild pitch from Strong.

The bottom of the first frame mirrored the top, as Weeki’s first batter, Senior Jayden Vigo made it to second base thanks to a Citrus error. That was before another error on the very next at bat allowed Vigo to steal home plate. Junior Jase Kelly would be run home two batters later on a ground ball to bring the scoring to a close. The rest of the matchup would prove to be a pitcher’s duel between Strong and Citrus’ Pitcher Dalton Denham.

Weeki’s relatively inexperienced pitcher would finish the game with 11 strikeouts, with the eleventh sending the Hurricanes packing. As the Hornets’ coach noted, the only threat to the home team’s lead was in the seventh and final inning. Needing just two more outs to end the game, Strong walked the next two batters before a Walker Tyler bouncing hit set up runners at first and third base. Now only needing one final out, the Hornets’ pitcher dug deep and found the strength to strike out Robert Pierson for the win.

“I talked to the guys there after the game that we got to find a way to put some insurance runs across,” Coach McHugh said. “We got to execute and find a way to get ourselves another run or two there, so it will take a little stress off the last inning, so we have a little breathing room. Otherwise, if they are making plays, as long as they are comfortable with it… and they seem comfortable right now.”

The Green and Black will look to do a better job of creating breathing room in their next matchup against Land O’Lakes. They will host the Gators at the Hornets’ Nest at 7:00 PM on Tuesday.