The Prairie baseball team remains undefeated in league play after Thursday, March 28, game against the Mountain View Thunder, but not without a scare in which the Falcons gave up a large lead to almost lose the game.
The Falcons hopped up to a 10-0 lead early with the help of two home runs and other scoring opportunities. The Mountain View Thunder then proceeded to climb out of their hole by posting nine runs. Prairie held on to put the Thunder away, 10-9, at the end of the nearly three-hour game to complete the series sweep against Mountain View.
Things started well for Prairie to start, with junior shortstop Nolan Nunn hitting his first ever home run on the second pitch of the game. Nunn said he has been playing baseball since he was 4 years old.
“I didn’t expect it,” Nunn said. “I didn’t think it was a home run. The wind just took it and, yeah, it felt good.”
The box score was nothing shy of a tale of two halves, however. Prairie scored twice in both the first and second inning, once in the third and added five in the fourth to take its 10-lead. The Falcons took some bruises along the way, as Prairie hitters were hit by pitches eight times, with two batters being plunked twice, including Nunn.
Nate Merritt hit the second home run for the Falcons in the fourth inning while throwing for 3 1/3 innings and striking out six while walking six on four hits, which ultimately sparked the Thunder comeback.
From the fourth inning on, the Falcons watched their lead dwindle to one run after the Thunder loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning. Pitcher Jake Drogos closed out the final three innings to secure the last out with a strikeout.
“Nolan Nunn got us started early, got on the board, first career home run, so that was great,” Falcons head coach Tanner Bogart said. “It’s always good to go attack early, and you can’t ever count out Mountain View. [Aaron] Coiteux is a great coach, and they’re never going to give up.”
In two league series, the Falcons are 6-0 and pack a run differential of 56-16 in that span.
Up next, the Falcons have two spring break matchups slated. At 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 4, the Falcons will host the Camas Papermakers and then host the Seton Catholic Cougars at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 5. Both matchups will take place on Prairie High School’s natural grass and dirt field.
