Chatt-A-Hoots outscored 12-9 by Monsters

The Columbus Chatt-A-Hoots fell to the Choccolocco Monsters 12-9 on Friday evening in a back and forth offensive affair. Columbus falls to 6-7 and Choccolocco improves to 5-8. 

Choccolocco jumped out to a quick start on Columbus starter Matthew Pierce. The Monsters had four straight runners reach in the 1st inning and brought two runs around to score to take the early 2-0 lead. Cooper Krause had a big shot in the bottom of the bottom of the 2nd as he hit a 3-run homer over the left field wall to give the Chatt-A-Hoots a 3-2 lead. The home run scored Jonathan Manibusan and Bryce Newman who had both previously reached on singles.

The lead was short-lived however, as in the top of the 3rd, Nate Shipley hit a solo home run to left field to tie the game up 3-3. Shipley’s shot hit off the top of the wall and then bounced over to tie things up. Choccolocco would take the lead in the top of the 4th as Josh Cooper would come home to score after originally reaching on a dropped 3rd strike that would have ended the inning. Cooper then made his way to 3rd after a two base error by Brian Trepanier on a pick-off attempt that got past 1st baseman Cam Gray. Brandon Prince then singled in Cooper to put the Monsters up 4-3. 

Then came the big inning for the Hoots as the home team would take the lead back in the bottom of the 4th. Newman started the inning with a single, and then came around to score on an RBI double from Krause. Conner O’Neal then roped a 2-RBI double into left field that scored Krause and Zane Ross. Simms Owens would later come around to score on an RBI fielder’s Choice from Cam Gray. 

There was another lead change in the top of the 6th as it was the Monsters’ turn for a big inning. They plated four in the inning to take the lead for good. Cooper picked up an RBI single as he drove in Jake Spivey. Brandon Prince then tied the game up with a 2-RBI double to score Cooper and Brant Deerman. Prince would come around to score to put the Monsters up 8-7 as he scored on an RBI groundout from JJ Rapp. 

The Monsters added three more runs in the top of the 7th to give themselves some distance at 11-7. Brennan McCullough made it 9-7 as he came around to score on a wild pitch. William Kelley would also score on a wild pitch later in the inning to make it 10-7. Brant Deerman added the 3rd run of the inning with a sac-fly to score Jake Spivey. They would also add another insurance run in the top of the 8th as JJ Rapp scored on another wild pitch to make it 12-7. 

The Chatt-A-Hoots ended the Monsters’ 8 unanswered runs streak in the bottom of the 8th inning as Columbus scored two to cut the lead to 12-9 heading into the 9th. Nico Senese drove in Britt Netterville with an RBI double to make it 12-8. Newman then doubled in Senese to cut the lead to 12-9, which is where the score would remain for the rest of the game. 

Weston Kirk received the win for Choccolocco after going 3.0 innings without allowing a run. He allowed three hits and struck out a batter. Daniel Swatek picked up a four out save as he went 1.1 innings with one walk and three strikeouts. Trey Sanders picked up the loss after going 0.2 innings, allowing two runs total (one earned). 

Several Hoots had strong days at the plate. Krause went 2 for 4 with 4 RBI and 2 runs scored including the 3-run homer. Netterville and Newman both had 3 hit days at the plate. Newman ended up 3 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Netterville went 3 for 5 with a run scored. For the Monsters, Nate Shipley went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and an RBI including the solo homer. 

Columbus and Choccolocco will be back in action again on Saturday, but this time at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, AL. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 Eastern/6:05 Central