Bart Jenkins can't believe teams keep pitching to clean-up hitter Tyler Cannon when the game is on the line.
Cannon came up with his third game-winning hit of the season to send Pillow Academy to a dramatic 6-3 come-from-behind win over Starkville Academy Thursday at PA's Utroska Field.
The senior third baseman crunched a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in the first game of a North AAA Conference doubleheader. The Mustangs won the second game 10-0 in five innings.
"The kid threw a curve ball that hung up there, and Cannon did what a four-hole hitter is supposed to do. I can't figure out why teams continue to pitch to him in those situations," said Jenkins, the second-year PA head coach.
"Cannon is a resilient player. He's going to find a way to get the job done."
The Mustangs improve to 16-4 overall, 8-3 in the league standings. They will play at Heritage Tuesday in Columbus and then host Heritage for a doubleheader next Thursday.
In the first game, Starkville (14-10, 4-7 in the North) led 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth. That's when the Mustangs rallied to tie the game with the big blow coming off the bat of Ross Homolik, who ripped a two-run homer.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the ninth, when Pate Shackelford got a one-out hit, followed by a Daniel Allen walk. Then Cannon delivered in grand fashion.
Of his three game-winning hits, two have come on home runs.
Senior Bo Craig started the game on the mound and went 71/3 innings, striking out four and walking three. Allen got the win in relief, needing just 16 pitches to finish off the final 12/3 innings.
"Bo pitched real well. It's unfortunate he couldn't get the win there," Jenkins said. "He got stronger and competed harder as the game went on."
Cannon, Jay Mitchell and Taylor Young had two hits each to lead PA at the plate. Michael Gant, Allen, Shackelford and Homolik had one hit each.
In the second game, the Mustangs didn't need any late-inning dramatics, scoring two in the first, five in the second and three in the fourth.
"We finally got back to our old form in the second game, doing the things we did when were playing so well - running the bases and doing a great job of situational hitting," Jenkins said. "We stole nine bases and even stole home once."
Gant, a senior outfielder, led the Mustangs' aggressive base running with four stolen bases.
Homolik led the way at the plate with three hits, including two doubles. Shackelford had two hits.
Gant, Allen, Cannon and Young each had a hit.
Allen again got the win, working the first four innings to improve to 8-1. The hard-throwing junior right-hander struck out seven and allowed just two hits.
Gant worked the final inning and had two strikeouts.
