HiToms win over Kernersville:Walk-off homer by Almond propels HiToms to Opening Night win

Walk-off homer by Almond propels HiToms to Opening Night win
Courtesy of Daniel Frey

High Point/Thomasville, N.C. – A walk-off two-run homer off of the bat of catcher Zac Almond pushed the HiToms ahead of Kernersville 9-8 in exhibition play.

The game went back and forth the whole way with the HiToms scoring first on a rolling RBI single by third baseman David Newcomer. Two more HiTom runs found their way across the plate in the bottom of the fourth.

The score was 3-1 in favor of the HiToms after five innings but the Bulldogs made their presence felt in the top of the sixth. HPT relief pitcher Andrew Dill surrendered four runs in the half inning putting Kernersville in front for the first time of the contest.

An answer was made with a three spot in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI double by left fielder Myles Kutscher and Almond’s first homer which was also a two-run shot to left. 6-5 HiToms was the score after seven innings.

Kernersville wouldn’t let that score stay, after a wild pitch tied the game at 6 in the top of the eigth, right fielder Dawnoven Smith delivered a two-RBI single to right. The see-saw battle would continue into the bottom of the ninth when down 8-7, Almond cranked the firework that preceded the fireworks show after the game.

The winning pitcher was Kael Jones and the losing pitcher was Chase Mitchell of the Bulldogs.

The HiToms are back in action tomorrow night at 5 p.m. hosting Deep River at Finch Field in another exhibition game.