It took a couple extra innings, but the Durant Cougars started their baseball season exactly how they hoped to: with a win on the road.
Visiting Plant City High, Durant was able to weather a late Raiders (0-2; 0-1 district) storm and pull out a 4-3 win in nine innings. Senior reliever Colyn White picked up the "W" for the Cougars.
Durant jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning, thanks to Jonah Scolaro's two-RBI triple and pinch runner Bryar Christian's score on a wild pitch. Scolaro, Durant's starting pitcher, spent the next few innings dueling with Raiders starter Parker Messick before being subbed out in the fifth inning. Both starters finished with nine strikeouts on the evening.
Plant City's offense got rolling in the sixth inning, quickly loading up the bases without an out. J.J. Gonzalez put the home team on the board with a two-RBI single and, with runners on first and third, Brandon Grant tied the game with an RBI single of his own. Though the Raiders were unable to take advantage of a successful Cody Cribbs sacrifice bunt afterward, Messick was able to retire the side in the top of the seventh inning.
Both teams were able to put just one man on base in the seventh and eighth innings, but Durant broke through in the top of the ninth. Jared Mejia hit a single and soon took second on a wild pitch to Jacob Smith. One at-bat later, Scolaro got on base with a walk. Braden Runey then struck out, but Mejia was able to steal third base and set up the dagger, Alex Molinelli's two-out RBI single.
In the bottom of the ninth, White struck Cribbs out, induced a Cade Shissler flyout and wrapped it up by striking out Brett Becker.
In other area baseball action, Strawberry Crest (2-0; 1-0 district) picked up a 3-2 win over Freedom (0-3; 0-1 district) in its home opener. On the softball field, the Lady Raiders boosted their record to 4-0 (1-0 district) with a 2-0 win over the Lady Cougars (1-2; 0-1 district), and the Lady Chargers (2-2; 1-0 district) climbed back up to the .500 mark with a 2-0 win over Freedom (2-2; 0-1 district).
