CHHS Wins Extra-Inning Thriller

Charles Henderson took control of 5A area three with a 5-4 extra inning victory at Rehobeth Friday night. The win moved CHHS to 18-4 overall and 4-0 in area play. It extended their current win streak to nine, and they have won 13 of the last 14 games.

Joey Denison got the scoring started in the top of the fourth inning with a mammoth two-run blast that scored Jalin Lawson from second base to give the Trojans a 2-0 lead. Tripp Blackmon got the start on the mound for the ninth ranked Trojans against the fourth ranked Rebels and pitched five shutout innings until the sixth when Rehobeth struck for two runs.

The teams went to the eighth inning tied at two when Luke Hastings drove in Joey Denison to give CHHS a 3-2 edge. Lawson entered the game on the mound with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning and runners on first and second. The Rebels were able to get a hit to score the runner from second and move the game to the ninth inning.

After a leadoff strikeout to start the ninth, Barnette drew a walk and was followed by an infield single by Fox. Lawson was hit by a pitch and Denison followed with a two RBI single scoring Barnette and Fox giving the Trojans a 5-3 advantage. The Rebels scored one run in the bottom of the ninth, but with the tying run on third base Lawson coaxed a fly ball to centerfield to end the game.

Blackmon worked 7 2/3 innings on the mound and struck out six. Lawson pitched the final 1 1/3 and struck out three. Joey Denison had an outstanding night at the plate finishing 4-5 with a homerun and three singles. He drove in four and scored run. Denison reached base in each at bat and either drove in or scored every CHHS run. Lawson was 1-2 with a double, Hastings was 1-4 with an RBI and stolen base, and Austin Adler was 2-4 with a double.

The victory also marked win number 100 at Charles Henderson for Coach Derek Irons. Irons began at CHHS in 2009 and since then the team is 100-40 (71%) and has been ranked in every ASWA 5A poll dating back to the 2007 season under Head Coach Brad Phillips.

The Trojans travel to Dothan on Tuesday before returning to area play on Thursday at home against Carroll. CHHS can clinch the area title with one win over Carroll on Thursday or Friday.