Exciting Comeback Win Against Cambridge Highlights Knights' Trip to Legion Field



The Knights take in the action from the top step of the Legion Field dugout in Alpharetta.

 

The Marietta Knights returned to their favorite venue, Legion Field in Alpharetta, for the Hopewell Invitational and earned an exciting 7-6 win against the Cambridge Bears. Legion Field is a great park that brings out the best in the players. The brick wall surrounding the field, the rows of real seats and most of all the big league style dugouts make this a special place to play. It's like a mini-minor league park and the playing surface is kept in top shape by the American Legion grounds crew.



Special guest coach Sara Tysinger helped in the
dugout on Father's Day. 

The Knights opened the tournament against the host Hopewell Hawks. The Hawks snapped their 2 game losing streak against Marietta with a solid 13-5 win. Gil Hastings led the Knights offense with a double and an RBI.

Next up were the Cambridge Bears who jumped out to a 6-1 lead and it looked like it would not be the Knights' day. Jack Vargo scored the Knights' first run, as usual, when he walked, stole 2nd & 3rd and came home on an error. Marietta closed the gap in the bottom of the 3rd. Alex Beaullieu and Cody Hahn each walked and advanced on a single by Jack. Hunter Williamson singled in Alex and George brought Cody in with a ground out to cut the score to 6-3.


Austin Hansell turned a double play and knocked in the
game winner against Cambridge

Hunter took the hill in the 4th and stopped the bleeding thanks in part to the Defensive Play of the game by Austin Hansell. With runners on 1st and 2nd, the Bears' # 3 hitter drove a hard grounder down the 3B line. Austin snagged it on a bounce, tagged 3B for 1 and threw a laser to Gil at 1B for a huge double play. Jackson handled the next batter's grounder to SS and the Knights held Cambridge scoreless for the 1st time of the game.

In the 4th, the offense went to work. Gil, Austin, Nathan Brooks and Alex hit 4 straight singles. Gil came home on Nathan's single and Austin scored when the Bears turned a 6-4-3 double play. Now trailing just 6-5, Jack picked up his 3rd hit of the day to score Nathan and tie the game. The Knights faithful was cheering loudly as their boys came back. Jackson Tysinger came up and drove a single up the middle to bring in Jack and the Knights finally held the lead 7-6.

Luke and Brook Martin enjoy Father's Day at the ballpark.

Cambridge tied things back up in the 5th at 7 but great defense kept them from taking the lead. Nathan Brooks picked up an OF assist when he threw out a runner at 3rd from LF and Austin fielded a grounder at 3B and threw out a runner at home to preserve the tie. Gil came in a struck out the final batter and the Knights had a chance to walk off for a win as the clock was winding down.

George led off the final inning with a single and advanced on Luke's single and Gil's FC. Austin Hansell solidified his Player of the Game stature when he drove a single into LF that scored George for the game winner. There was still time on the clock so Gil was able to steal home before time expired for the final score of Knights 9 Bears 7.



Nathan Brooks continued his hot hitting including
a 2 run triple against the Raiders.

The Knights came back on Father's Day for another exciting, close game with the Coal Mountain Raiders. The day started early for Coach Rob when Hunter presented him with an awesome New York Knights shirt (Roy Hobbs' team from "The Natural") complete with a Wonder Boy lightning bolt on the sleeve. Unfortunately, this close game didn't go the Knights way as Coal Mountain won it 10-9 in extra innings. Despite the loss, all the Dads and Granddads had a great day watching their boys play a great competitive game. Jack, Hunter, Austin, Luke and Nathan all had 2 hits. Hunter and Austin each doubled and Nathan hit a huge 2 run triple that sent the game to extra innings. Gil struck out 5 and only gave up 1 ER in 4 innings on the mound and George struck out 2 in 2 2/3.

Gil Hastings slides in safely in a close play at the plate against the Hawks.