Monster comeback
- Updated: June 13, 2022
Kelley comes up clutch as Monsters rally for four in ninth inning for their third come-from-behind road win of the season
Monday’s SBL Scores
Atlanta Blues 5, Brookhaven 3
Choccolocco 8, Alpharetta 6
Columbus 5, Gwinnett 4
Gainesville 11, Atlanta Crackers 1, 8 inns.
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Manager Steve Gillispie is as happy to get a win as anybody in the Choccolocco Monsters clubhouse. He just wishes they were a little easier to come by.
The Monsters picked up their third victory of the season Monday night, 8-6 over the defending Sunbelt Baseball League champion Alpharetta Aviators, scoring four runs in the top of the ninth to get it done. All three have been of the come-from-behind variety on the road.
“You wish you could jump out like the other night with Gainesville and you’re up 6-0,” Gillispie said. “(The resiliency) is a mentality the kids have, they just kind of believe they’re going to have good at-bats and find a way to get a run across, especially the way we run.
“I believe they know they’re not out of scoring opportunities because we can run and we can do some things. We need to be able to finish a game at home, be better out the gate at home and then finish once we do.”
The Monsters (3-4) actually came back twice in this one. They fell behind 4-0 in the third and tied it 4-4 in the fifth, then gave up single runs in the fifth and sixth to fall behind again 6-4. That’s where it stood until the ninth.
Their first five hitters in the inning all reached base and the first four scored. William Kelley delivered the biggest hit in the comeback. Inserted as a pinch-hitter with two on and none out, the outfielder ripped a two-run double to center off losing pitcher Severin Halvorsen to the tie game.
The rising sophomore at Freed Hardeman had been 1-for-16 going into the at bat and hitless in his previous 12 at bats. His other hit came in the fifth inning of the Monsters’ victory over Columbus in their second game of the year, the first victory in team history.
He has had what Gillispie called some “pretty good” at-bats in the last week or so where “he’s had some pretty solid contact and nothing to show for it,” so he wasn’t getting discouraged. Gillispie twice considered pinch-hitting him earlier in the game, but held him both times because nothing was brewing. But the matchup was right in the ninth.
“I wouldn’t say I was in a slump, I just wasn’t getting the results I wanted,” Kelley said. “The past couple games I was hitting balls, but I was just hitting ‘em right to them. I finally got a pitch I could drive. I didn’t try to do too much. I let my hands work. I just barreled it. I know what I’m capable of. It’s just good that I know I can do it again.”
The Monsters weren’t done after Kelley delivered. Josh Cooper drove in the go-ahead run two batters later with a single and Brant Deerman scored an insurance run when he stole home. Deerman used his speed twice to score runs. He raced home from second with the tying run in the fifth on Brandon Prince’s high chop to short that never drew a throw.
Once they got the lead, Daniel Swatek made it stand by setting the Aviators down in the ninth for his second save. The junior from Hoover has played a part in all three Monsters victories – with a win and two saves. He has yet to yield an earned run and only one hit in four appearance (6 1/3 innings).
“It’s definitely a confidence as you’re making changes,” Gillispie said. “You just know and the team knows that if they can hold it close and get to it that we can shut down the game on the back end.”
Monsters newcomers Weston Kirk and Jackson Sweatt both made their season debuts in the game. Sweatt started behind the plate, went 0-for-1 with two walks and threw out two runners on the bases, but one that got away led to Alpharetta’s go-ahead run. Kirk came out of the bullpen in in the fourth and gave up two hits and a pair of single runs in 2 2/3 innings.
The Aviators (2-7) have now lost six in a row.
The teams play again here Wednesday.
Choccolocco 000 130 004 – 8 9 2
Alpharetta 004 011 00x – 6 7 0
WP: Harris Burns (2-0). LP: Severin Halvorsen (0-1). S: Daniel Swatek (2). 2B: William Kelley (C), Dylan Dankowski (A),
Sunbelt Baseball League standings
| EAST DIVISION | W | L | PCT. | GB |
| Waleska Wild Things | 5 | 1 | .833 | — |
| Gainesville GolDiggers | 6 | 2 | .750 | — |
| Alpharetta Aviators | 2 | 7 | .222 | 4.5 |
| CENTRAL DIVISION | ||||
| Atlanta Blues | 5 | 4 | .556 | — |
| Atlanta Crackers | 4 | 4 | .500 | 0.5 |
| Brookhaven Bucks | 3 | 4 | .429 | 1 |
| WEST DIVISION | ||||
| Choccolocco Monsters | 3 | 4 | .429 | — |
| Gwinnett Astros | 3 | 4 | .429 | — |
| Columbus Chatt-a-Hoots | 3 | 4 | .429 | — |
You must be logged in to post a comment Login