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With a two-run lead already in hand, Justin Livengood picked up right where he left off two weeks ago, baffling a potent CDHS lineup en route to a key 5-1 road victory. The senior right-hander struck out 10 and yielded just five hits, not including the one pitch in the sixth inning that knocked the home plate umpire out of the game with an injured wrist.
“We’ve been saying all week that we wanted to come up here and finish what we started,” Livengood said. “The main thing was getting that last out in the third inning. It was huge. Their [Spartans] top five batters are really good. You just keep the ball down and trust your defense behind you and you’ll be fine.”
So far this season, the Panthers have the found the road to be pretty kind as LHS (13-1, 6-0) remains unblemished in the CCC away from Wallburg. The game resumed in the bottom of the third inning with the Panthers leading 2-0 and the Spartans threatening with two runners on and two out. Livengood gave up a single to Carolina signee Chaz Frank that loaded the bases but he buckled down and struck out Tanner Rivas, ending the rally.
“This is first time I’ve ever had to start a game like this one,” said LHS coach Chris Adams. “We just tried to stress to the kids a sense of urgency and let’s make the most of our chances.”
Ahead by just two against a lineup like CDHS left Ledford with some work to do even though Livengood was one his game. The Panthers added some insurance in the top of the fifth with a couple of little dinks and one big blast from their hottest hitter. Cory Alcorn led off the frame with a single to right and moved to second on Luke Ledwell’s sacrifice. Jacob Scott legged out an infield single, putting runners on the corners for the white-hot Patrick Koontz.
On a 1-1 pitch, Koontz lifted a fly ball to center-field that Frank seemed to have a hard time gauging. As Frank drifted back to the fence, the ball kept carrying, eventually settling down in the trees just over the fence for a huge 3-run homer that lifted LHS to a 5-0 lead.
“[The baseball] looks this big,” said Koontz with his hands a foot apart. “Every time I come, I’m 100 percent confident I’m going to get a hit. There’s no doubt in my mind that I am going to help my team out. [The ball] looks like it’s a beach ball. It was a huge lift for the team. We’ve been focusing like it’s a playoff game every time out. We don’t want to lose any games in the conference.”
Central Davidson tried to crawl back in the game in the sixth after an error, a stolen base, and a wild pitch put Ben Frazier on third with only one out. Jordan Hedrick managed to drive in Frazier on a groundout, making the score 5-1, but that would be all for the Spartans.
The game was delayed in the bottom of the sixth inning when the home plate umpire got the worst of a high 80s Livengood fastball. Koontz set up outside but the pitch was in, exposing the umpire. The pitch caught the umpire flush on the wrist, sending him to the ground. He was eventually carted off the field and taken to the hospital.
“We got crossed up,” Livengood said. “I missed my spot in when it was supposed to out. I don’t Patrick even touched it. It was a mistake and I felt sorry about it.”