Graceville Rallies For Win Over Malone

By Clint Cox

GRACEVILLE – For 6 ½ innings last Friday night Malone was in full control of their district rival Graceville. But Malone saw their 9-2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning vanish, and then Garrett Steverson put the final nail in the coffin with a walk off grand slam to propel Graceville to a 11-9 win.
Malone jumped out to an early lead in their first at bat as Blake Hinson’s RBI single scored a run. Aaron Conrad’s RBI single scored Kevin Warren and then Jeffery Pittman’s RBI single scored Conrad. Dayvon Larry capped off the inning with a 3 run home run to put Malone up 6-0. Graceville managed a run in their first at bat but Malone added another run in both the second and third innings. The run in the third inning came on a solo home run by Larry. Graceville countered with a run in the bottom of the third inning as Justin Miles scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-2 in favor of Malone.
Miles entered the game in the fourth inning in relief of Tyler Crutchfield and began to cool the Malone bats. Over the next 3 2/3 innings Malone managed only one run as Warren reached on an error and then scored on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh inning. Meanwhile Malone starter Derek Orshall had kept the Graceville bats quite for the most part and Malone held a 9-2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning.
That is when the wheels began to come off for Malone, as Graceville quickly jumped on Malone relief pitcher Aaron Conrad. Steverson led off the inning with a double and then Aaron Taylor singled. Steverson was able to score on a throwing error to make it 9-3. Joey Sports followed with a single and then Jacky Miles reached on an error that also allowed Taylor to score. Jordan Cox then stroked an RBI single deep into left field to score Sports and then Jacky Miles scored on a double steal to make it a 9-6 game. Chris Willis pounded out a RBI double to score Cox and pull Graceville to within just two runs. Orshall was reinserted into the game and faced off against Steverson as Graceville had batted around. After going to a full count, Steverson stroked a shot over the left field wall that brought home four Graceville Tigers and the win.
Both squads were coming off wins from the night before as Graceville (3-6) had beaten Bethlehem and with the win over Malone improved to 3-6 on the season. Malone had pulled off their own rally, edging Cottondale 9-8 in a come from behind victory. With the loss to Graceville Malone fell to 6-2.