The High Point-Thomasville HiToms welcomed the Boone Bigfoots to historic Finch Field on Sunday evening for a nine-inning exhibition, and the team from up on the mountain nearly pulled off an upset. However, their efforts were futile, as HPT pulled off a 7-3 win in dramatic fashion.

Landon Smith was the first of seven HiTom pitchers to take the mound in the exhibition contest. Smith would allow the only earned run, as besides two unearned allowed by Will Lancaster, five HPT pitchers tossed a combined six innings of shutout ball. Ben Peterson and the eventual winning pitcher, KJ Wells, each struck out the side in their respective innings.

In the bottom of the 9th inning, in a 3-3 game with two outs and no one on, HPT started an improbable rally. Two walks and a hit-by-pitch brought CJ Johnson up to the plate with the bases loaded. Johnson smashed a deep fly ball over Finch Field’s right-center field wall for a 7-3 walk-off win.

The HiToms’ next game is Wednesday evening, when they will play host to the Forest City Owls at 7:00. Tickets for that game are still available, and it will be available to stream on flobaseball.tv.