Paducah Tilghman got off to a fast start and then cruised to a 13-4 win over Caldwell County Friday evening at the VFW Ballpark in Princeton. The game was played in cold and rainy conditions from the first pitch. The Blue Tornado got to Tiger starter Bryar Riley early in the 1st inning. Following a one out walk, Tilghman strung together four consecutive hits, three singles and a double, to take a 3-0 lead after the first half inning.
Both pitchers then kept things quiet until the bottom of the 3rd inning. Riley helped out his own cause with a one out double. Courtesy runner Cody Holub advanced to 3rd base on a wild pitch and then scored on a ground out to cut the lead to 3-1 after three complete.
Tilghman then effectively put the game away in the top of the 5th inning following a Caldwell County pitching change. The first Blue Tornado batter to face John Davis connected for a double and a long inning for the Caldwell County fielders was underway. The first six batters to face Davis all reached base. By the time the Tigers got the first out of the inning, the lead was out to 7-1.
Tilghman would plate three more runs by inning’s end to extend the lead to 10-1.
The Tigers got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning when VanHooser singled to drive in Oliver Parker to make it a 10-2 ballgame after five.
Tilghman would add one more run in the top of the 6th and two more runs in the top of the 7th. While Caldwell County scored one in the 6th and one in the 7th to reach the final nine run margin.
The Blue Tornado ended up with 13 runs on 12 hits, while Caldwell County scored four runs on seven hits.
Bryce Thomas led Caldwell County, going 2-3 with one RBI. Oliver Parker and Tate VanHooser were each 1-3, with VanHooser driving in one, while Jase Felker was 1-4.
Bryar Riley went four innings on the mound, giving up three runs on five hits, striking out five and walking two. Davis went the last three innings giving up ten runs on seven hits, striking out four while walking three.
