GOSHEN – It was an important night in Goshen for Plymouth’s Pilgrims after a tough loss Monday at Warsaw they rebounded with a road win over the Red Hawks 8-6.
Starting pitcher Braydon Davidson picked up the win to run his record to 5-2 on the year but it was his bat that was the devastating weapon blasting a three run homer to tie the score in the third inning and driving home two more in the key fifth inning with a single.
“I go back two games, he was 0-4 that night and he flew out twice once to deep right and the other time to right center and he came back to the dugout and said ‘what do I have to do?’” said Plymouth head coach Ryan Wolfe. “I said just what you’re doing, your approach needs to be right center field. He can pull the ball, but when he stays in the middle to right center that’s where he can do some damage.”
Goshen struck for a quick run in the first and continued to put pressure on the Plymouth defense with aggressive base running and approaches at the plate and pushed two more across in the second. Davidson and the Plymouth defense responded.
“That’s the kind of kid he is,” said Wolfe. “He didn’t have his best stuff but I think our defense helped him there especially at the end. Benji (Nixon) had four or five balls hit to him there and that ball in the seventh inning right up against the fence and he makes the catch, it was one of those nights that you may not have your best stuff but you rely on the eight guys behind you.”
What proved to be the clinching blow was a five run Plymouth fifth that saw 10 Plymouth batters come to the plate and with an RBI double from Jeremy Drudge, and a run scoring single from George Stults to go with Davison’s two run single.
“I was trying to bunt Benji there and he fouled a couple off and got an infield hit and turned the order over and got the wheels turning,” said Wolfe. “Any time that you can get a crooked number up there it’s a good thing.”
Goshen didn’t shy away responding with three of their own in the fifth starting with catcher Phil Wertz’ lead off double. Davidson gave up four hits in the inning but recovered to get a pop out to Caleb Mikesell to end the threat with the tying run at second.
Davidson then retired six of the next seven hitters to take the win.
Nixon and designated hitter George Stults had a pair of hits for Plymouth to add to Davidson’s big night at the plate.
Plymouth moves to 6-4 in the NLC staying within a game of the leaders, they are 12-6 overall on the year with Wawasee visiting Bill Nixon Field on Friday.
Linescore
Plymouth 0 0 3 0 5 0 0 8-10-1
Goshen 1 3 0 0 3 0 0 6-8-1
WP – Davidson (5-2). LP – Peebles (2-3). HR – Davidson (P). 2B – Detwiler (G), Wertz (G), Drudge (P).
