I/G rally falls short in loss to Pittsville

The Independence/Gilmanton baseball team had a chance to erase a two-run deficit and in the seventh inning, but couldn’t get the clutch hit it needed.

The Indees trailed 2-0 entering the final frame but managed three hits in the inning. Carlos Montalvo led off with a single and scored when Ricky Lopez singled with two outs. Payton Hovey followed with a hit and both runners moved over on steals, putting two runners in scoring position.

Brandon Sylla got ahead 2-1 in the count, but took a strike before striking out swinging to end the game.

Sylla took the loss on the mound despite keeping the Panthers — which went on to beat Blair-Taylor in the regional final — in check. Sylla held Pittsville to four hits, while walking three and striking out seven.

The Panthers scored one run in the bottom of the first on a walk and a single, both with two outs. A solo home run in the third inning put the team ahead 2-0.

Eric Rojas Lopez had two of I/G’s six hits in the game, while four other players all had one. Xavier Santillian doubled with one out in the second, but was caught stealing third. Rojas Lopez singled to lead off the fourth, but the next three batters all got out. 

I/G finished the season with a record of 11-7. The team will graduate three seniors in Santillian, Sylla and Montalvo but also had three freshmen — Hovey, Lopez and Chase Back —start for them.