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What they were greeted with was a mountain of power named Justin Livengood.
The senior kept the Hornet offense off-balance, allowing just six hits while striking out 14 on the way to a 5-3 Panthers win over its conference counterpart. He also helped himself at the plate with a pair of hits including a sizzling homerun to left to lift Ledford’s overall record to 11-1, 4-0 in the CCC. Salisbury falls to 11-3, 4-1.
“We always feel like when we give him the ball we have a chance, and I think he took it personal the way they have been scoring runs and doing what they have done,” said head coach Chris Adams.
Livengood didn’t start or finish the game the way he would have liked, but everything in between was pretty good. He gave up a run in the first to give the visitors the lead, but he took it upon himself to get it back in the second.
He found a pitch he liked and drove a screaming liner to left that sailed over the fence to tie the score.
“That was me getting that one back I gave up in the first inning trying to start things over fresh,” said Livengood.
With a brand new ballgame, he settled in over the next two innings to keep the game tied. He again got in on the scoring in the fourth to provide a 3-1 advantage to work with on the hill.
Catcher Patrick Koontz led the inning off with a single to center and Livengood moved him up with a drive to left, putting runners on first and second. Salisbury pitcher Alex Britt appeared to have avoided further damage getting the next two batters, but another Ledford senior had the answer.
Working the count to his favor, Sam Berrier hammered a ball to center to plate Koontz and courtesy runner Tyler Rogers.
Livengood would give one back in the fifth, but got a big lift from his battery-mate Koontz in the bottom half with a towering two-run shot making it 5-2.
The sixth brought about the most defining moment of the day for Livengood. After allowing a leadoff double and getting behind on the next batter, the righty reached back for something more and threw strike after consecutive strike to take down the next three and get out of the pickle.
“You’ve just got to step up and want it, and I wanted it there,” said Livengood.
Russell Michaels smoked a homer with one out in the seventh and a single and hit batsman made things interesting, but a fielder’s choice and flyout to center would end the game.
“The first inning and last inning was pretty rough, but everything in between felt really good,” said Livengood. “You just have to have a good defense behind you and throw strikes.”
Ricky Vaughn went 2-for-3 on a pair of singles and Koontz was also 2-for-3.
Ledford is at Central Davidson Monday to complete a suspended game that will start in the third inning.