Tillman Dew’s walk-off single lifts Deerfield-Windsor over Stratford

ALBANY – The Deerfield-Windsor Knights scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh Monday night to take a 3-2 win over Stratford Academy at Addison Field on the campus of Deerfield-Windsor School. It is the Knights’ first win of the young season after opening with two losses to Peach County.

“We got off to a slow start offensively,” said Deerfield-Windsor head coach Kyle King, “but some great pitching kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win it late. We were down by one in the bottom of the seventh and got three clutch hits from three seniors, Chewy Willis, Davis Coleman, and then the winning hit from Tillman Dew.”

Down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Chewy Willis and Davis Coleman opened the seventh with singles. Grayson Spears followed with a sacrifice but an error loaded the bases with nobody out. After the Eagles recorded a strike-out, Willis scored on a passed ball to tie the game and Coleman moved to third. Tillman Dew then hit a single to left to score Coleman for the winning run.

Dew scored the Knight’s only other run in the bottom of the second. He got on base after being hit by a pitch and scored on an error by the Stratford shortstop on a hard-hit ball by Brantley Michlig.

Luke Daniel started the game on the mound for the Knights and pitched five strong innings. He gave up four hits and two runs, neither of which were earned. He walked one and struck out five. Willis closed the game on the mound for Deerfield-Windsor. He pitched two innings with no hits, no runs and struck out five.

The Knights will play at home Friday when Schley County comes to town. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.