Jaydin Poteat is far too young to know who Vanessa Williams is, but he certainly is taking the theme from her signature song, released in 1991.
He’s saving the best for last.
Poteat, an Orange senior who has started in centerfield the past three years, led off the final regular season game of his 73-game career against Northern by lining a 1-0 fastball over the left field wall.
It was the first home run of Poteat’s high school career, extending his hitting streak to a team-best seven games.
Poteat finished 4-for-5, Dalton Brown threw five innings for his third win and Orange scored nine unanswered runs to beat the Knights 10-2 in the regular season finale at Knights Field.
Orange (12-10, 10-4 in the big 8) sewed up third place in the Big 8, ensuring a spot in the 3A state playoffs. The Panthers will be on the road to open the playoffs on Tuesday. The 64-team field will be released on Sunday.
Poteat was mobbed by his teammates at the plate, which appeared to be an emotional release for a team that needed it. Earlier on Thursday, the news broke that starting pitcher Will White suffered a broken bone in his right foot, likely sidelining him for the rest of the season. White suffered the injury in the first inning of Tuesday’s game against Northern when a liner went off his right leg. Though he refused to come out of the game at first, it was clear White was hampered. Northern tagged White for four runs in the second inning before he was replaced by Kaymin Matsko.
On Thursday with the game tied 1-1 in the top of the fifth, Orange scored nine unanswered runs to take its fifth straight win. Moments after Northern’s Cole Singsank tied the game off a wild pitch, Nas Powell led off the fifth by reaching on an error. Poteat and Joey Berini walked to load the bases. Jason Slaughter drew a bases-loaded walk against new Knights pitcher Jordan Snow. Catcher Cooper Porter was called out on a controversial infield fly, which appeared to be more of a looper to third base instead of a pop up, but Poteat tagged up and scored anyway even though the ball barely reached the outfield grass.
Berini and Slaughter scored off an error off a grounder to second hit by Mark Willms to push the Orange lead to 5-1.
Orange put across three more in the sixth, all with two out. Poteat singled but was thrown out on a fielder’s choice grounder hit by Berini. Slaughter reached on an error, sending Berini to third. With Caige Clayton at the plate, Berini scored on a wild pitch, and Slaughter moved to third on an error by the catcher. Orange would make it 8-1 after Clayton doubled to right to bring in Slaughter.
Clayton and Slaughter tied for the team lead with 20 RBI to conclude the regular season. Poteat scored in the 7th inning off a Berini double for his 24th run of the season, tops on the team. First baseman Trey Clayton singled in the 7th, and scored off of Poteat’s single to right.
Brown threw five innings for his third win of the season, allowing three hits and one earned run.