Kiniry walk-off homer lifts Blue Ridge over Rabun Gap
Alex Kiniry (No. 24) is swarmed by teammates after hitting a walk-off three-run home run against Rabun Gap to lift Blue Ridge to a statement 6-3 win.
Alex Kiniry called his shot.
After Kiniry sent a fastball 360 feet to dead center—caught for an out just short of the wall—in the fifth inning against Rabun Gap, he knew he’d get all of the next one. He returned to the dugout and made the promise.
“I’m sending the next one out of here,” Kiniry said aloud to his teammates. “All the way out.”
And with the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh between the Tigers and the Eagles—one of Georgia’s highest-ranked teams—Kiniry held to his word.
The senior first baseman smoked one 400 feet to deep left center, this time clearing the wall—and the bases. His two-out walk-off shot earned a 6-3 win for the Tigers.
“It always goes through your mind in a situation like that that you want to hit a bomb. And I was ready for it. I was looking for that fastball again,” said Kiniry. “I knew I was on it my last at-bat, but I just missed it. I definitely didn’t miss it this time.”
Kiniry’s teammates celebrated with him at home plate after the home run. After the game, they snuck behind Kiniry and dumped the Gatorade cooler over his head. Kiniry smiled and shivered. The glacier cherry-flavored drink was ice cold, but the adrenaline still coursing through Kiniry’s veins kept him more than warm enough to handle it.
“This feels special,” said Kiniry, still smiling after the shower. “That’s what this team is, really—special. That’s the only word I can use to describe us.”
From that “special” team came a special team effort against Rabun Gap, with several Tigers chipping in to get the job done.
Mason Tompkins started on the mound and pitched 4.2 solid innings. Gabe King came into the game in relief and earned the win, allowing one hit and one run while collecting five strikeouts.
“Coach Henson has been talking all year about fulfilling our roles as players,” said King. “That’s exactly what Mason and I did tonight. We did what we had to do to pull this one out.”
For the Tigers’ first three runs, small ball got the job done. A clever fake second-base steal attempt by Levi Powell brought home Hunter Teems in the third inning. After Rabun Gap went up 2-1 in the top of the fifth, Levi Powell came through again in the bottom of the same inning, this time singling to bring in two runners.
Rabun Gap tied the game in the top of the seventh, then Kiniry finished the job.
The win served as a statement for No. 2 ranked Blue Ridge, who took down a previously undefeated Rabun Gap team loaded with Division 1 prospects.
“We like to challenge ourselves against some of the best teams, and that’s what we’ve done early this season,” said Blue Ridge head coach Travis Henson. “This is good experience for us no matter the result. But it says a lot about us to come out and beat a team as good as [Rabun Gap].”
Blue Ridge slides head first into region play next week, taking on Broome on March 26 at home. They’ll travel to Spartanburg to face the Centurions on March 28.
THE SCORE BY INNINGS
Rabun Gap
0 0 0 0 2 0 1 - 3
Blue Ridge
0 0 1 0 2 0 3 - 6
BLUE RIDGE STAT LEADERS
Mason Tompkins - 3-3, 2 R
Alex Kiniry - HR, 3 RBI
Levi Powell - 2 RBI
PITCHING
Mason Tompkins - 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 2K, 6 BB
Gabe King - 2.1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 5 K, 1 BB