The Salem High baseball team is 7-4 overall and 3-2 in the River Ridge District after a 12-8 win in Pulaski County Tuesday.
Salem’s Zach Bocock picked up the win on the mound, striking out seven over four innings. Salem took a 10-3 lead in the sixth inning when sophomore Aiden Poff drilled his fourth home run of the season followed by a single by Mason Hale, a double by Ben Farber and a sacrifice fly by Ben Keffer.
Last Friday the Spartans defeated Patrick Henry in a district game, 10-8 at Billy Sample Field in Salem. PH got on the board first in the top of the second on a solo home run but the Spartans answered in the bottom half with a lead off single by Brayden White, who scored when Micah West singled to right. Jack Stroud also singled to right field to drive in Chase Rutledge for a 2-1 Salem lead.
The Spartans scored two more runs in the third inning, then hung six on the board in the fourth highlighted by a towering home run by Poff off the left field scoreboard. Ben Farber then doubled to the left center gap, Rutledge doubled past the left fielder and West singled to left to score Rutledge to give Salem a 9-1 lead.
Keffer started on the mound for Salem and picked up the win, allowing one run over four innings. The Patriots mounted a late comeback against the bullpen, scoring three runs in the fifth and four in the top of the seventh before reliable reliever Stroud came on to pick up the save, his second of the year.
Stroud struck out the side to quell the Patriot uprising and send the Spartan fans home with a smile. Stroud, Poff, White, West, and Rutledge all had two hits for Salem.
The Salemites will be back in action Friday with a 7:30 pm start against Christiansburg. Next Tuesday Salem is at Cave Spring followed by a Wednesday home game against Lord Botetourt.
