Prep Baseball Roundup : Troy Scores 7 Runs in First, Holds Off Sunny Hills, 9-6

Troy High School has had bigger innings than the first inning it produced on Friday against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League game. But none have come with as much at stake.

“This was the biggest team win that we’ve had all year,” said Troy starter Tom Wilson, the winning pitcher in a 9-6 victory over visiting Sunny Hills.

“This game was for first place (in league), and if we won it, we’re tied for it.”

Wilson’s ability to maneuver through the first two innings by getting all six outs on strikeouts, and the Warriors’ offensive outburst helped place them in a three-way tie for the league lead. Troy (9-4 overall), Sunny Hills (10-6) and Fullerton are tied for first place with 4-1 league records.

It also was Troy’s second highest run total in an inning this season (the Warriors scored 11 runs on March 22 in a 15-3 victory over Garden Grove.).

“When you have 10 games left, it kind of boils down to (just) another game,” Troy Coach Dan Robinson said.

“But it is significant for us because we played well after the last game (a loss to Fullerton on Wednesday) and it showed we can play with anybody.”

The Warriors might not have had much to show had it not been for Wilson, who pitched seven innings to earn the victory and keep his record perfect at 5-0.

Sunny Hills starter Brent Smith lasted just two-thirds of an inning before being replaced by Jeff Kight. The Warriors sent 13 batters to the plate in the first inning, and all seven runs were scored with two outs.

“He (Smith) was totally out of sync,” said Sunny Hills Coach Doug Elliott. “He couldn’t get his curveball over and had to go with the fastball, and before we knew it, they had seven runs.

“(That first inning) killed us,” Elliott said. “It was the ballgame.”