Chargers pick up pair of road wins

The Central Chargers Varsity Baseball team continues to lead the Conference 42 standings and got a big boost earlier this week with a pair of road victories over William Campbell and Prince Edward.

The Chargers traveled to take on the Generals on Monday night and came away with a 14-10 win.

Central scored in the top of the first inning as Nate Nowlin doubled to lead off and Jeffrey Goodwin singled him home. Goodwin would later score on an Ethan Hoover single and the Chargers led 2-0.

William Campbell responded in the bottom of the inning as they would get two early runs and load the bases with two outs on CHS starter Chandler Childress. Nowlin would come in to pitch and get a strikeout to keep the game at 2-2.

Central would score two more runs in the second inning as Malik Foster reached base and scored on a Nowlin triple. He would score on an RBI ground out by Goodwin and Central led 4-2. WC would get one run back in the next half- inning and one in the third to tie the game at 4-4.

The fourth inning would see the Generals add three runs on just one hit as a catcher’s interference and questionable hit batter call combined with an error hurt the Chargers. Trailing 7-4 going to the top of the fifth inning, Central would tie things up as Goodwin singled, Josh Paynter singled and Hoover was hit by a pitch. LJ Watson would come through with a big two out single to tie things up at 7-7.

Christian Hall would come in to pitch for the Chargers in the fifth inning. The Generals kept their offense going with three runs on four hits in that half of the inning to once again move out in front on the scoreboard. However, Central would rally in the top of the sixth to score seven runs. Riley Hart would single to start things off, Goodwin reached on a fielder’s choice, Paynter drew a walk and Chris Fowler singled in two runs. Hall and Watson would both walk to load the bases. Fowler stole home on a passed ball and then the big blow of the inning came as Foster smacked a three-run homer to put Central up 14-10. Hall would work the final two innings on the mound and give up no runs as the Chargers took a thrilling victory.

Central would take on Prince Edward on Tuesday and get another win by an 8-4 margin. The Chargers started off on top once again as Goodwin walked and scored on a Paynter double. Childress would start on the mound and work a scoreless first inning. Central added two more runs in the second inning as Hall singled, Watson singled and Foster reached on a fielder’s choice.

The game would stay at 3-0 until the fourth inning as a walk, two hits and two Central errors helped Prince Edward get 3 runs and tie the game. Central would answer back in the top of the sixth when Foster singled, Hart drew a walk and Nowlin singled. Paynter would add a double in the inning and Central went back on top 5-3.

Goodwin would come to the mound in the fifth inning for Central and work a one, two, three inning. Central added three more runs in the sixth as Fowler, Hall and Watson all singled and scored to put the Chargers up 8-3. Prince Edward would add one late run, but Central closed out the game with an 8-4 victory.