ATLANTA — On this date in the record books it will show that North Hall knocked off Cartersville 6-3 in a somewhat meaningless non-region baseball game.
But for those witnessing the game, which took place Friday at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves, it was anything but meaningless.
“Surreal” was a word thrown around almost as much as the ball during pre-game infield.
“It definitely had that surreal quality to it,” said North Hall coach Trent Mongero, who had dreamed of playing at Turner Field while a player in the Braves organization 20 years ago. “It was probably the most amazing feeling I’ve ever had as a former player and now a coach. I couldn’t be more thrilled for the kids to get to experience this.
“The best part is that we got everyone into the game and we were able to get the win. That’s what we were hoping for.”
For senior centerfielder Drew Atha, the jog out to the area most famously roamed by Andruw Jones seemed like a dream.
“It was definitely kind of surreal at first,” Atha said. “But once the game got going it began to feel more normal.”
Sophomore pitcher Reese Olson drew the starting assignment and seemed at home on the same mound where Greg Maddox, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine carved up the National League for more than a decade.
“I had to take a deep breath at the beginning,” said Olson, who gave up a run in his only inning of work. “It took a batter for me to settle down I think. It was a great experience. Every minute I got to be out there was great.”
In all, seven pitchers got to work an inning each for the Trojans, with Nathan Kinney, Dylan Lavender, Corbin Meeler, Connor Matthews, Jackson Latty, and Drew Atha following Olson.
“I thought all of them did a solid job,” Mongero said. “You never how things are going to work out when you pitch seven guys like that.”
North Hall (17-7) started strong getting a single from Taber Mongero to start the game and then a one-out single from Atha. A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position but the Hurricanes turned a nifty double play on a hot shot by Fowler Brooks to end the first inning
The Hurricanes (14-10) got the first run in the bottom of the first when Carrington Evans walked to lead off against Olson and later scored on a ground out by Zach Yancey. But Olson retired the final three batters to keep it close.
It stayed that way until the third. Dylan Lavender opened the inning with a single and Mongero added a sacrifice bunt to move courtesy runner John Mark Montgomery to second with one out. After Austin Adams popped up, Atha reached on an error and then Brooks singled home Montgomery to tie the game at 1. Atha later scored on a passed ball to give North Hall a 2-1 lead.
Pitchers Kinney and Lavender kept the Hurricanes scoreless through the third inning.
In the fourth, Wesley Smith drew a one-out walk and stole second for North Hall. Montgomery then reached on a one-out walk but both runners were left stranded at second and third.
Cartersville tied the game at 2 on a passed ball third strike and a three-base throwing error in the fourth but the Trojans got out of a huge jam turning a tremendous 3-6-1 double play to get out of the inning.
Atha collected his second hit of the game to lead off the fifth for North Hall. Brooks and Latty both followed with hits to load the bases with no outs. After a Drew Hubbard fly out to right, Charlie Erickson drove in Atha with a long sacrifice fly to center to give North Hall a 3-2 lead it would not relinquish.
The Hurricanes got a lead off single in the bottom of the fifth off Connor Matthews. But the right-hander got a pop to short and struck out one to end the inning to get out of the inning with the lead
The Trojans broke it open in the sixth. Mongero reached on an error and moved to third on a wild pitch and passed ball. Adams walked and then both scored on a Brooks double to left. Courtesy-runner Montgomery then scored on a double by Latty to make it a 6-2 lead.
Cartersville cut the lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the sixth with a double by Trevor Lowe and a RBI single by Evans off Latty. Atha, the North Hall closer, came on in the seventh and retired the Hurricanes in order, striking out the final two batters to preserve the win.
“I knew when I came out (to the mound) that it was over. I wasn’t going to let them score,” Atha said. “It’s really cool to get a win here.”
The day had one of the best Field of Dreams moments in recent memory.
Before the game, Trent Mongero’s dad, and Taber’s grandfather, Richard Mongero, threw out the first pitch. The two older Mongero’s could be seen playing catch in the outfield before the opening game ceremony.
“My dad had two open-heart surgeries the last few years and he had always dreamed of me playing here so it meant a lot to both of us to have him do that,” Mongero said. “It was a special moment for us with three generations of Mongero’s getting to be out here.”
Even before that you could tell that the entire North Hall baseball group was preparing for a special day. The team chartered a bus to Turner Field and a slew of fans met them in the Green Parking lot three hours before first pitch to tailgate and soak in the moment.
“It was a just a great day all around,” Mongero said. “It was a great day for North Hall baseball.”
