Even with four district games to be played, the feeling in both dugouts Tuesday at Hixson was that this was a must-win game: Win this one and get at least the inside track for the postseason tournament’s No. 1 seed.
Central had to win or all but hand the 6-AA regular-season championship to the Wildcats, who have a two-game district series next week against Red Bank.
Central avenged an earlier loss to Hixson 9-4, and the five-run margin will give the Purple Pounders the tiebreaker if the two end the season with identical league records. Hixson had won the earlier game 8-4.
“I told the guys we had to win by five if we wanted the No. 1 seed,” Central coach Glen Carter said.
With his team clinging to a precarious 5-4 lead through six innings, senior catcher Kolby Hinshaw came through with a monster three-run homer to left-center and Ike Dietz, pinch-running for Jonathan Alston, scored from third on a balk to give the Pounders the much-desired five-run spread.