Mountain Division Clash Decided in Walk-Off Fashion.

The Hendersonville Honeycrisps traveled to Huntersville Athletic Park, the home of the Lake Norman HarborHippos, for a mountain division matchup this past Sunday, June 22nd. The visitors began the day sitting atop the division with a record of 11-2, while the hosts sat in second place with a record of 7-6. The HarborHippos looked to close the gap while the Honeycrisps hoped to extend their lead at the top. 

The visitors drew first blood courtesy of a two-out two-run single by Bryson Whited in the top of the first frame. Both teams were held at bay for the next couple of innings with Honeycrisps’s starter Jared Penland only allowing two baserunners through five innings. The mountain division leaders continued to extend their lead with a two-spot in the top of the fifth off a pair of mistakes. 

The HarborHippos finally dealt some damage in the sixth, a leadoff single followed up an advacncement via wild pitch and a tag put the home team on the board after a groundout scoring run. They were not done there as a two-out double by Tim Barry drove in two runs to make the score 4-3 Honeycrisps. 

A leadoff triple by Julian Lewis in the top of the 7th set the tone for the visitors in the frame as they went on to increase there lead by five runs. A Henry Ferguson single scored Lewis, then a pair of singles by Whited and Rodriguez drove in another pair of runs. A bases-loaded walk scored the final run of the inning for the Honeycrisps. 

The HarborHippos responded in the bottom half of the inning, three consecutive two-out hits brought in one run to cut the deficit to three runs. The home team capitalized on their opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the 8th, a lead-off walk followed by a hit by pitch gave Barry a chance to cut the deficit to one. The infielder roped a line drive to center field scoring both baserunners to make the score 8-7. The rally was not done there, as another bases-loaded hit by pitch tied the game followed by a sacrifice fly gave the HarborHippos a 9-8 lead. 

The division leaders are the leaders for a reason, fighting back in the top of the 9th to knot the score. Jason Rodriguez stole second after getting hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a catcher error, then crossed home plate via wild pitch. 

A lead-off strikeout drastically decreased the chances of ninth inning magic, however, an Aiden Kwon walk put the winning run on first. Barry drove another ball to right field, as Kwon flew around the bases, a costly error by the Honeycrisps allowed the All-Star outfielder to score and give the HarborHippos the walkoff win. 

What’s Next

The Hendersonville Honeycrisps and Lake Norman HarborHippos continue to battle for the top spot in the mountain division. The ONSL All-Star Game heads to Jack Amyette Park in Jacksonville, N.C., on Saturday, June 28th.