Tigers team for win

RINGGOLD, Ga. -- The stat sheet showed that Eric Hull pitched a hitless inning of baseball Tuesday to go with a 1-for-3 batting performance in Ringgold's 4-3 win over Dalton. What the sheet won't show is how game-changing that inning was and how crucial the hit became.

Hull went from behind the plate to the mound in the sixth inning after the Catamounts had taken a 3-2 lead against Cory Kafka and still had the bases loaded and no one out. Hull induced Blake Raber to ground into a forceout at home, then got another ground ball from Alex Roberts that turned into a 6-2-3 inning-ending double play. Though Dalton had taken the lead, the momentum shifted to Ringgold's dugout.

Moments later, Caleb Jones tied the game with a line-drive home run to left-center and Hull followed by beating out a ground ball to deep short. Pinch-runner Mark Fairbanks turned the hit into the winning run by stealing second, going to third on Kafka's flyout and scoring on a Roberts wild pitch.

"Both sides battled all night getting out of jams," Ringgold coach Brent Tucker said. "There were jam after jam after jam. Eric Hull threw strikes and got ground balls, and Cory went from the mound to behind the plate, and though he had a tough inning, he had the presence of mind to turn that double play. We use it all the time, but it was a total team effort."

Hull quickly shook off the hero tag shortly after Ringgold ace Matthew Crownover struck out the side to earn the save and end the wild game.

"With the bases loaded, I knew I had to come through for my team," Hull said. "I just threw ground balls and they got the outs. Cory Kafka made a great play. This is a great win for us. We've already come together as a team, and this win proves that."

The Catamounts had numerous chances to take control of the game earlier after scoring single runs in the first and second innings on Stryker Brown hits. They stranded three runners in the second, two in the fourth, three in the fifth and two again in the sixth. Ringgold pitchers, while allowing only two hits, walked 13.

"You don't win many games by walking 13," Tucker said with a smile, "but we found a way tonight."

Ringgold starter Colton Cross struck out nine and walked seven in four innnings, while Dalton's Roberts went the distance, striking out nine and allowing eight hits.