Knights Split with Newnan Taters, Advance to Semifinals for 2nd Week in a Row.

Austin Hansell had 5 RBI's in the Knights 3 games

The Marietta Knights turned a close game against the Newnan Taters into a blowout for their 3rd straight win and a spot in the USSSA NIT Semifinals at Mt. Tabor Park in Dallas, Georgia. Newnan took an early 2-0 lead after the first. But in the 2nd, Mason Doyle singled to start a rally. After walks to Luke Martin and Presley Field loaded the bases, Mason and Luke both scored on wild pitches to tie the game. Will Nelson grounded out behind the runners to score Presley and give Marietta a 3-2 lead.

After a 2 base error, Newnan tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the 2nd and shut the Knights out in the 3rd. Hunter Williamson came on to pitch in the bottom of the 3rd and threw a much needed shutout inning with a strikeout and pop outs to C Austin Schubert and SS Mason Doyle. The game went to the 4th knotted at 3-3.

In the top of the 4th, the Knights offense absolutely exploded. Luke Martin started the onslaught with a single. Schubie, Presley, Hunter and Will made it 5 straight singles and the Knights held a 6-3 lead. With 1 out, George Krivsky singled and Gil Hastings walked. Austin Hansell hit a 2 RBI single and Mason reached on a error by the RF that scored 2 more runs and the Knights held a commanding 10-3 lead. Luke came up again and hit his second single of the inning, this time bringing home a run. Schubie walked this time around, but Presley and Hunter each added RBI hits. 2 more runs scored on a fielder's choice and an error and the stunned crowd looked up to find Marietta leading 15-3.



Hunter threw 6 2/3 innings without an earned run in 2
appearances and had 4 hits and 3 RBI's in the tourney 

Presley came on to pitch in the 4th and got a groundout to Hunter at 2nd base. The next out came on the Defensive Play of the Game with a looping line drive down the 3B line. 3rd baseman Luke Martin laid out and made a beautiful diving catch with the ball just an inch from the ground. With a runner on 3rd, Presley got another slow grounder to Hunter at 2nd that he threw on to Gil at first to seal the run rule victory.

The win put the Knights into the Semifinals for the 2nd week in a row. The 12 runs scored in the 4th set a franchise record for most runs scored in an inning. Austin, Hunter and Will each had 2 RBI's for the Knights and George, Luke, Presley and Hunter each had 2 hits in the game.

After a win over 5 Tool Baseball, the Taters earned a rematch with the Knights in the semifinal. The Knights led most of the game and Hunter threw a great game on the mound going 5 2/3 innings without giving up an earned run. But errors proved to be the Knights undoing and Newnan took the lead with 3 runs in the 6th and held the Knights scoreless in the bottom of the inning to advance to the Finals with a 7-6 win. George was 3 for 3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored, Will was 2 for 3, Austin had 2 RBI's and Mason added a triple.

Presley Field is having a monster season at 1B and threw
a shutout inning to close out the win against Newnan