After finding themselves in an early hole Tuesday night, the Hobbton Wildcats responded in a big way when it mattered most.
Trailing 2-0 through three innings, Hobbton exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and never looked back, defeating American Leadership Academy-Johnston 6-2 at home in the third round of the NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs.
With the victory, the Wildcats advanced to the fourth round.
ALA-Johnston struck first with a run in the opening inning before adding another in the third to build an early two-run advantage. However, Hobbton remained composed, something head coach Jackson McLamb said has defined this group throughout the season.
“I’m just super proud of the guys,” McLamb said. “One of the biggest things I’m proud of is just when they face adversity, they don’t fold. They just continue to fight back. Even like tonight, we got down 2-0, things weren’t going our way to begin with, but we just stayed the course and just kept working. That’s why I’m just so proud to fight for this group. They don’t give up. They just continue to work, stay the path, stay the course.”
The breakthrough finally came in the bottom of the fourth inning, when momentum completely swung in the Wildcats’ favor. Senior Kasey Lee helped spark the rally as Hobbton plated six runs in the inning to suddenly turn a two-run deficit into a commanding 6-2 lead.
The Wildcats finished the night with eight hits as several players contributed offensively throughout the lineup.
Lee led the way at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. Sophomore Braxton McLamb also delivered a strong offensive performance, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double.
Will Blackman, Nathan Neal and Javier Escalera each added a hit and an RBI, while Ayden Lawson also recorded a hit in the victory. Ben Neal and Kade Corbett each crossed the plate as part of the pivotal fourth-inning outburst.
On the mound, junior Caden Martin got the start for the Wildcats before Lathan Warren came in to close the game out. Hobbton held ALA-Johnston scoreless over the final three innings to secure the playoff victory.
McLamb credited the team’s preparation and work ethic for allowing the Wildcats to remain confident even after falling behind early.
“It just comes down to our preparation,” McLamb said. “When you come and prepare like we do, and you work hard and give everything you got every single day, whether it’s practice or a game, it gets to the point where when the moment’s there for you to take it, we’re ready for it. Their hard work is paying off, and I’m just super proud of them.”
The Wildcats’ next challenge came against a familiar opponent in Rosewood, a team Hobbton battled with frequently during their years together in conference play.
“We know Rosewood is a good program,” McLamb said. “Playing them so much in conference, there’s familiarity. We’re gonna go out there and compete and give them our best effort. If we get there and play our game, I like our chances.”
A recap of Friday’s game against Rosewood can be found in next Tuesday’s e-edition.