Taylor leads offensive surge as Woodington outlasts CSS, 16-9

Taylor leads offensive surge as Woodington outlasts CSS, 16-9

Woodington continued to build momentum Monday, using a big offensive night to defeat CSS Cougars 16-9 on the road.

Jackson Taylor set the tone at the plate, delivering a strong contact performance with three hits in four at-bats. He tripled in the first inning, doubled in the second, and added another double in the fifth, driving in key runs throughout the night.

Woodington struck first in the opening inning when Daelin Tyndall singled to bring in a run.

The Raiders broke the game open in the second, scoring five runs. Cole Johnson drew a bases-loaded walk, Taylor followed with a two-run double, and Axel Ard added a sacrifice fly that brought in two more runs to stretch the lead.

Woodington kept the pressure on in the third, using a Johnson single, an Ard walk, and a wild pitch to add another run.

The biggest inning came in the fifth, when Woodington pushed across six runs on five hits. Taylor doubled in another run, Tyndall added an RBI single, Carter Thomas delivered a two-run single, and both Tanner Herring and Dixon Roberts worked bases-loaded walks to cap the inning.

CSS made things interesting late, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of multiple errors and a passed ball to cut into the deficit.

Despite the late push, Woodington had already built enough separation.

Landen Coples earned the win on the mound, working four strong innings while allowing just two hits and one run, with two strikeouts and no walks. Winston Faircloth came on in relief to help close things out.

Woodington finished with 14 hits, with Taylor, Tyndall, and Tyson Whaley each collecting three hits. The Raiders also showed patience at the plate, drawing 10 walks, with Roberts and Faircloth leading the way with two each.

CSS managed five hits, with E. Nobles, B. Criswell, C. Tilghman, B. Warnock, and B. Heath each recording one. N. Britt and D. Martin each drove in two runs.

With the win, Woodington continues to find its rhythm and will return home Thursday to face Arendell Parrott Academy.