Game 2 victory keeps Bob Jones alive with Game 3 looming on Saturday

MADISON — Bob Jones was able to split the first day of 7A playoff baseball against Thompson Friday evening with a 2-1 victory over the Warriors in Game 2 in the best of three series.

The Patriots, who won the State Championship last season, were facing elimination after falling 6-2 to Thompson in Game 1.

Bob Jones had to win second game on Friday to force a pivotal Game 3 on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Game 2 was a pitchers’ duel that only increased the pressure on the Patriots to avoid mistakes and find opportunities to generate offense.

Thompson struck first with a run in the bottom of the second inning to take the early 1-0 advantage.

Bob Jones knotted the game at 1-1 with a run in the top of the fourth inning.

Another solo run in the top of the fifth would secure the narrow victory for the Patriots who managed just two hits throughout the entire contest.

Game 1: Thompson 6, Bob Jones 2

The afternoon rain caused the start of Game 1 to be pushed by an hour from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. so the stadium glistened with that post-rain shine as fans began to make their way to their seats.

A row of pickup trucks lined the right outfield wall with a college tailgating feel to it.

Bob Jones warmed up in white uniforms with red pinstripes that made them look like the Philadelphia Phillies.

The road challengers Thompson had traded in its all-black uniforms from a year ago for an all-red outfit that made them look more like ketchup bottles.

The energy leading into the game was humming as the stands filled up and the grill churned out hot dogs and cheeseburgers.

The Warriors used strong pitching and power-hitting to overwhelm Bob Jones who struggled to drive in baserunners in the opener.

Thompson starting pitcher Ma’Kale Holden settled in to stifle the Patriots with seven quality innings where he allowed two runs with five hits, no walks and 11 strikeouts.

Holden was no slouch with the bat either.

The hurler crushed a 2-run home run over the fence in the first inning to set an early tone.

Bob Jones turned to starting pitcher Tanner Hermesch who also went the distance on the mound despite allowing six runs and nine hits.

Hermesch battled through the adversity striking out nine and he didn’t lose his composure which in return saved his team pitchers for the other two games.

Down 2-0 after the top of the first, Bob Jones answered with a run in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI single by the Patriot second baseman Cam Martin to slash the Warriors’ lead.

An RBI single by Thompson’s Anderson Harris drove in Hayden Craycraft to expand the Warriors’ advantage to 3-1 after three innings.

Thompson tacked on three more runs in the top of fifth inning for a 5-1 lead.

Things were looking pretty bleak for the home team until designated hitter Zach Johnson crushed a pitch deep into the night sky for a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to offer a glimmer of hope now down 5-2.

The Warriors had other plans however, as Harris turned on a Hermesch pitch in the top of the seventh inning to crank it over the fence in left for another run for the team in all red.