The Mount Pleasant Tigers moved their magic number to 1 on Friday with a walk-off 6-4 victory over second place Texas High. The win was a much-needed emotional boost as the Tigers were coming off a three-game losing streak and 14-5 drubbing the last time the Tigers faced Texas High.

All the excitement happened in the final inning as both teams saw balls leave the yard. With the game knotted at 3-3, Texas High launched a home run in the top of the seventh inning to take a 4-3 lead. Mount Pleasant was able to escape the rest of the half-inning without any further damage setting up a chance take the game in their final at bat. Braden Duff opened the Tigers bottom half with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Jacob Bristow. Skyler Nelson then singled to score Duff to tie the game again at 4-4. Harrison Wall came up next and put the Tiger fans on the edge of their seats with a long drive that was caught at the warning track putting two outs on the board. Senior Keller Thompson, possibly energized by Wall’s loud out, stepped into the box next. Thompson answered the call with a deep two-out, two-run homer sending the home fans into a frenzy, who knew it was gone as soon as he connected.

Bristow got the win on the mound with 3.2 innings in relief allowing three hits, one run, with six strikeouts. Drew Dyke started the game only allowing one earned run and notching four strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Texas High struck first in the top of the third inning with two runs before Mount Pleasant answered with a bases clearing double in the bottom of the fourth to set up the final frame. The Tigers knocked 7 hits on the night by Nelson (2), Duff, Bristow, Thompson, Layne Pinckard, and Tyson Minter. Duff drove in 3 RBI, Thompson 2 RBI, and Nelson 1 RBI. Runs were scored by Duff, Nelson, Thompson, Minter, Mason McMinn, and Evan Grissom.

The Tigers have two games remaining on the regular season slate traveling to Marshall on Tuesday and hosting Pine Tree on Friday. Mount Pleasant previously won both matchups with a 1-0 win versus the Mavericks and a 12-6 win over the Pirates. Just one more win will seal the first playoff berth for the Tigers since 2014.

By Drew Barkley
Photos by John Whitten