Off to a disappointing 0-2 start and down 3-0 early in their third game, the Pillow Academy Mustangs impressed their coach with a comeback win.
The Mustangs defeated Carroll Academy 8-5 Tuesday at PA's Louis Coleman Field for their first victory of the season.
"It's always good to get that first win, and I am proud of the way we got it. Our kids battled back and showed some character," PA head coach Tim Burton said.
Carroll, which falls to 3-2, jumped on starting pitcher Landon Taylor early, scoring two runs on two hits in the first inning.
Taylor gave way to Andrew Ables to start the third, and Ables (1-0) worked 32/3 innings to record the win. Ables gave up two runs on three hits.
CA's Clay Perry led off the game with a double to the wall in left-center field and later scored from third on a groundout to second base. Tyler Bingham had an RBI double to make it 2-0.
In the third, Perry got an infield single, stole second base, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Breland Marett and scored on a sac fly by Peyton Banes.
In the bottom of the frame, the Mustangs began to chip away at CA starter Bingham. Parker Harris led off with a single and scored on a double by Taylor. Anthony Ola made it a one-run game when he scored on a sac fly by Zack Davis.
The Mustangs scored three runs with two outs in fourth to go ahead for good. Clayton Martin started things with a walk, followed by another single by Harris. After a walk by Kevin Phillips, Martin scored from third on a passed ball to tie the game at 3.
Ola had an RBI single to aid in Pillow's three-run inning.
PA added three more runs in the fifth to take an 8-3 lead. Davis led off with a double to left-center field and later scored on a two-run single by Harris, who finished with three hits.
Gaston Lyon brought in the final run when Bingham was called for a balk.
Carroll scored one run in the top of the sixth and had the bases loaded with two outs when Martin came on in relief of Ables.
Martin got the hot-hitting Perry out with a grounder to the shortstop.
Martin walked the bases loaded in the seventh and allowed one run when Evan Hoover was hit by a pitch.
Bingham (0-2) allowed eight runs on seven hits in five innings of work while striking out three and walking four.
For CA, Perry had two hits, a stolen base and scored twice. Bingham also had two hits, while Jake Streeter had a single and scored two runs.
Pillow will play at Carroll at 4 p.m. Thursday.
• Contact Bill Burrus at bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com.
