PREP BASEBALL: Poka wins 'homecoming'

Loachapoka had to wait three years for its new baseball field to be game-ready, making them nomads.

Then the Indians had to wait a week longer for their homecoming because someone left the sprinklers on too long and washed out their game against LaFayette last Monday.

Then they had to wait a half-hour longer Monday for Bullock County’s team bus to get to their field.

But Tommy White Jr., made sure they didn’t have to wait very long for that first home win.

White hit the first pitch he saw out of the park in the bottom of the sixth for a game-winning, two-run home run that capped off a 10-9
comeback win over the Hornets.

“I was thinking about getting on base,” White said. “I just swung with all I got and came up with something I wasn’t looking for.”

White’s home run capped a three-run comeback for the Indians (6-2), who trailed 9-6 entering the sixth.

Tracy Brooks got Bullock County 1-2-3 in the seventh to ice the win.

“I had to have this one,” Loachapoka coach Damian Sinclair said.

Catcher Vontrez Hutchinson got the Indians off to a good start, smacking a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to give them a 2-1 lead.

It was the senior’s first high school home run.

“I was thinking ‘Is it true?’” Hutchinson said. “It just felt great.”

The Indians took a 4-1 lead in the second, but the Hornets battled back to tie the game in the third.

Bullock County scored five runs in the next three innings to take a 9-6 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

Then Hutchsinon, Jay Porter and Brooks hit one-out singles to bring the Indians to within two.

Enrique Razo plated another run on an RBI groudout, to close the Indians to a run.

Then White hit his shot to left-center.

“He did what I asked him to do, which is just put the bat on the ball,” Sinclair said. “Every time he gets to the plate, he wants to hit a home run. He thinks he has to swing and do a pirouette or something.”

“But when he puts the bat on the ball, he has so much power.”

Just getting on the field Monday was challenge enough for the Indians, after weekend rains put the game in doubt.

But Sinclair said the players were out until 8 p.m. Sunday getting the field ready.

“It seemed like it was going to be further and further down the road,” Sinclair said. “I thought we were going to re-schedule all our games
and go on the road again.

“But my players were so determined to be out here. They were not going to let anyone tell us we were not going to play today.”

Hutchinson was 3-for-3 with two RBI, Porter was 2-for-4 with two runs, Brooks was 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI, White was 2-for-4 with three RBI, and Lazavier Nailor was 2-for-4.

Loachapoka’s softball team also played its first home game in three years, suffering a 17-0, three-inning loss to Valley.

Allyson Foster got the win on the mound for the Rams, and went 2-for-2 from the plate.

Holly Howard, Leta Gillen-Waters, Erin Ledford and Ali Cochran each had two hits, and Ledford and Melissa Cotney added home runs.

dmorrison@oanow.com | 737-2568