Fort Pierce Central Holds Off John Carroll, 7-4

Fort Pierce Central bounced back from last Friday’s district loss to Vero Beach with a 7-4 win over John Carroll on Thursday. The Cobras (7-8) broke open a tight game with six runs over the middle innings and then held off a late charge by the Rams, who scored three in the top of the seventh.

Chris Golden scored on an error in the second, and that run held up as the only score until the fourth when Central added three runs. After a strikeout to start the bottom of the inning, Jake Slattery singled, Brett Oliver walked and Kyle Hilton walked to load the bases. Zach Moen singled to bring in Slattery, who went 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. Drew Edwards’ double scored Hilton and and Golden, who pinch ran for Oliver.

Slattery drove in Robbie Bingham with a base hit in the fifth to give the Cobras a 5-0 advantage.

The Rams (9-10) broke through in the sixth. Royce Neil walked to lead off the inning before Mario Presutti flied out. Chase Solesky singled to left to bring in Neil, but Central turned a double play to get out of the inning.

The Cobras added two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Bingham was the fourth consecutive batter to walk, forcing in Moen. Slattery had another RBI single to score Brandon Stone, who was intentionally walked.

The Rams fought until the end. Harrison Stacy and Christopher Montpetit led off the bottom of the seventh with consecutive singles. Ryan Baskerville hit a line-drive double to left to bring in Stacy, and Austin Nirenberg reached on an error that allowed Montpetit to score. Michael Pederson followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Baskerville. After Neil singled, a flyout and strikeout ended the inning.

Kenrick Mendez pitched five strong innings to earn the win.

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