NICHOLASVILLE — Trailing 5-3 in the top of the seventh, Wilkelver Gaviria-Zuleta delivered the defining moment of the night, crushing a three-run home run to lift the Cardinals to a dramatic 6-5 comeback victory over East Jessamine.
The Cardinals (17-9) had trailed for much of the game after East Jessamine built an early lead and answered every push. South Laurel chipped away with single runs in the third, fifth, and sixth innings, but still found itself down to its final inning needing a spark.
That spark came in a big way.
After getting runners on, Gaviria-Zuleta stepped to the plate and launched the go-ahead homer, giving his team the lead for good.
“Great win for us tonight,” South Laurel’s coach Trey Smith said. “I’m so proud of the way we battled tonight on the road. Wilkelver stepped up again with a huge three-run home run in the seventh to take the lead. We play a lot of good competition this weekend and this was a good way to get it started.”
South Laurel finished with eight hits as Carter Kelley continued his strong stretch at the plate with two hits and an RBI. Bryson Turner also added two hits while Jacob Culler contributed a pair of hits and drove in a run.
Culler also worked into the sixth inning, keeping the Cardinals within striking distance before Isaac Alsip came on to secure the win and Waylon Hensley closed the door in the seventh to earn the save.
