Warren Central suffers second walk-off loss in a row
Published 6:30 pm Friday, February 24, 2023
- Warren Central pitcher Brooks Willoughby allowed one run and struck out eight batters Thursday against Alabama's UMS-Wright Prep, but got a no-decision as the Vikings lost 2-1.
Two days. Two walk-offs. Two losses.
This is not the kind of late-game drama Warren Central wants.
Matthew Hedge hit a game-winning single with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Alabama’s UMS-Wright Prep beat Warren Central 2-1 in the Mid-Mississippi Classic on Friday.
It was Warren Central’s second consecutive walk-off loss, and the third time in its five games that the winning run has scored on the final play. WC beat Germantown on a walk-off hit last weekend.
Jack Wright hit an RBI double for Warren Central (3-2) in the top of the fifth inning to bring in Maddox Lynch and tie the score at 1-1. The hits by Lynch and Wright were two of the three that Warren Central had in the game.
Brooks Willoughby pitched five solid innings for the Vikings. He allowed one run on four hits, walked two batters and struck out eight.
UMS-Wright then stitched together the game-winning rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. A walk by Wilson Colvin and a single by Olin Ward put runners at first and second. Hedge followed with his single to center that brought in Colvin and gave the Bulldogs the 2-1 victory.
Hedge also had an RBI groundout in the third inning to bring in UMS-Wright’s other run.
Warren Central has one more game in the Mid-Mississippi Classic, Saturday at 10 a.m. against Mississippi Class 6A rival Ocean Springs. The game will be played at Madison Central High School.