Latta splits with pair of Class 2A's top teams

Apr. 10—LATTA — The Latta High School baseball team went toe-to-toe with a pair of Class 2A's Top 10 teams but came away with a split.

Coach Dillon Atkinson's crew dropped a 1-0 decision to No. 7 Calera Monday at Panther Park and edged third-ranked Preston 3-1 in a Friday night home contest.

The Panthers, ranked No. 6 in Class 2A, were 12-4 heading into a road game with Stroud Tuesday night. The Panthers then head to the Coleman Tournament when they'll take on Mill Creek at 2 p.m. Thursday in a first-round contest.

Calera 1, Latta 0

The game featured a classic pitcher's dual between Calera ace Logan Bumgarner and Latta sophomore Gestin Pollard. Bumgarner struck out 11, walked just one batter and scattered five hits in the complete-game shutout. Pollard struck out three, walked two and allowed just one unearned run in seven strong innings.

Calera scored the lone run of the game in the top of the fifth inning. H Applegate led off with a base hit to center field, went all the way to third on an error and scored on a sacrifice bunt by G Chaffin.

Hunter Price finished 2-for-3 to pace Latta at the plate. Kaleb Goodwin slapped a double and Deakon Smith and Darien Miler had singles for the home team.

The Bulldogs' six hits came from six different players. Ryan Dunn hit a double for Calera and Bumgarner finished 1-for-2 with a walk.

Latta 3, Preston 1

This time Latta prevailed in another classic pitcher's dual.

Darien Miller was the winner for the Panthers. HE struck out seven, walked three and allowed just one earned run on four hits in the complete-game gem. Kaden Dean was tagged with the loss. He struck out 10, walked three and allowed two earned runs in 5.2 innings of work for the Pirates.

Preston scored first, pushing across a run in the top of the third inning on a two-out, RBI single by Dean that put the visitors on top 1-0.

Courtesy runner Jake LaMack scored on a Preston error in the bottom of the third inning to knot the score at 1-1.

Hunter Price walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning and later sped home on a wild pitch to put Latta on top 2-1.

Latta put together a two-out uprising in the bottom of the sixth inning to push across the final run of the contest.

Landon Wolfe, Reese Littlefield and Landon Fortner drew consecutive walks to load the bases. Wolfe then came home on an infield hit off the bat of Holden Lee.

Both teams came up with four hits apiece.

Dean finished 2-for-3 for Preston and Braxton Kennedy clubbed a double for the visitors.

Littlefield, Jonathan Gray and Deakon Smith all had base hits for Latta.

The Panthers lost first baseman Ryder Perry to a broken wrist in the contest. The injury was reported to require season-ending surgery.