Crest defense keys baseball win at Kings Mountain

April 18--KINGS MOUNTAIN -- A quick turnaround from a frustrating loss proved to be a winning formula for the Crest High baseball team in a 4-2 victory against county rival Kings Mountain at Lancaster Field on Thursday night.

Defense, one of the main culprits in a 5-1 defeat against Chase with six errors a night earlier, was a major reason the Chargers turned back the Mountaineers.

Kings Mountain had a pair of deep fly balls go for naught in the fifth, with a line drive to shortstop accounting for the other out that inning.

"They made some great plays in the outfield in the fifth inning to keep us off the board," Kings Mountain coach Matt Bridges

Charger pitcher Matt Bridges earned the complete-game win, striking out eight with three walks, two hit batsmen and six hits allowed.

"If we play good defense, with the pitching we have, it gives us a chance," Crest coach Steven Hodge said.

Kings Mountain had two runners on with no outs but couldn't capitalize in the sixth, then stranded a runner in the seventh.

Elijah Spurling's RBI groundout gave Crest a 1-0 lead through half an inning.

Kings Mountain responded with Will Wilson walking, moving over on a steal and an error and scoring on a Brandon Bell single, then Bell scoring on a wild pitch for a 2-1 edge after an inning.

The Chargers took the lead for good in the third as Luke Patrick had an RBI single and Cody Kale scored on a wild pitch.

Crest added an insurance run in the sixth as Ben Canipe singled, stole second, moved to third on a hit and scored on an errant pickoff attempt.

Landon Bolin threw the first 5 1/3 innings to take the loss for Kings Mountain with four runs allowed on six walks, five hits and one hit batsmen while striking out five. Alex Reynolds had six strikeouts with two hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Patrick had three of Crest's seven hits, while Reynolds tallied two of Kings Mountain's six.

Crest (10-5, 8-4 SMAC) faces West Lincoln at 4 p.m. Monday in the first game of the Shelby Easter Tournament, with Kings Mountain (6-9, 5-8) taking on Chase's JV team at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the tournament.

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