The Forrest Rockets are in a battle for some home cooking in the first round of the upcoming District 9-A Tournament, and they took a big step towards that goal Tuesday in Chapel Hill, coming from behind to win 7-4 on senior night versus Community.

On Monday, the Rockets' bats were silent, managing just one hit, while going down on strikeouts a dozen times versus Dillon West at Unionville in a 2-0 loss.

At 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, Forrest head coach Chris Parker had the Rockets in the batting cage for some extra work and it paid off in an 11-hit attack Tuesday night against the Vikings.

Early to rise...

"A little 6:30 a.m. hitting never hurt anybody," said Parker. "We woke up with the chickens and we hit the ball."

Four Rocket batters had a multiple hit game with senior Zach Horvath (2-3, SAC, 3B, 2 RBIs) leading the way, followed by Jacob Daughrity (2-4, RS), Tanner Garvin (2-3, 2B, RS), and starting pitcher Logan Hollingsworth (2-4, RBI).

Austin Harber (1-4, 2RS), Austin Harmon (1-3, RS), and Thaddeus Reyes (1-3, RS, 2SB) all managed one hit apiece.

Hollingsworth got off to a shaky start, allowing three runs in the first inning and one more in the second before blanking the Vikings the rest of the way.

"I have been talking to him a little bit about coming out with that killer instinct to start the game," said Parker. "You can't spot a team three or four runs to start the game and expect to come back every time, but he remained composed, kept his cool, went on and battled, and did a good job."

After the three-run top of the first inning for Community which included a two-run double by Austin Cagle and an RBI fielder's choice by Logan Price, Forrest came back with two runs in the home half of the inning.

Daughrity and Harber banged back-to-back base hits to start the rally, before Landon Jones knocked in Daughrity with a fielder's choice ribbie and Hollingsworth sent Harber home on a base hit to right field, making it 3-2.

An RBI base hit by Community's Zeke Grissom in the top of the second made it a 4-2 contest, before

Viking starter Quinn Frost set down the Rockets 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.

There was no scoring in the third inning, and in the top of the fourth, Hollingsworth had little trouble retiring the side.

Rockets take lead

In the bottom of the fourth, the Rockets got some timely hits, a lucky bounce, a Community error, and a balk on Frost to score five times, taking a 7-4 lead.

"Coach (Steve) Peterson at Middle Tennessee, retired now, used to tell me in baseball you win a third, lose a third and what you do with the other third, winning or losing is determined by how the ball bounces for you," said Parker.

Hollingsworth led off the inning with a base hit and courtesy runner Austin Welty took over for the pitcher at first base.

Garvin stepped in and bashed a double to right/center, putting runners on second and third before Welty trotted home on a Viking miscue in the infield.

After Frost got a strikeout, Harmon beat out a bunt to load the sacks full of Rockets.

Winning edge

Frost got another strikeout and it looked like he would get out of the inning when Harmon swung and missed at a third strike, but the ball got away, and Harber hustled his way to first while Garvin lumbered home, making it 4-4.

A balk on Frost sent Reyes home with the go-ahead run and Horvath made Community pay for their miscues, drilling a two-run triple to the gap in right/center, etching two insurance runs in his senior night scorebook.

Hollingsworth finished strong by retiring nine out the next 11 batters he faced the rest of his outing for the complete game victory.

The Rockets have a pair of games versus Columbia Central on Friday and Saturday before ending the district slate with a home and away series versus district foe Huntland.

"First off, we got the series with Columbia with a lot of pride on the line and it is a relationship we hope to build and play those guys down the road," said Parker. "Then we go see coach (Michael) Tipps and the Hornets, who will play like a bunch of Hornets to be honest with you."