Season ends for Mavericks
The season ended in heartbreaking fashion for the Anderson County Mavericks last Friday night.
The Mavericks lost in the ninth inning by a score of 3-2 as Knox Central scored the winning run on a misplayed fly ball.
It was a close game throughout as both teams got strong performances from their starting pitchers — Ryan Moog for Anderson County and Trevor Ferguson of Central.
The Mavericks picked up a run in the first inning when Rhett Bowling led off with a base hit. Andy Fox then delivered a hit through the right side on a beautifully executed hit and run, sending Bowling to third. Zeke Meyers then singled to score Bowling but that was all Ferguson would allow in the inning.
Anderson County added a run in the second when Thomas Sexton slapped a two-out double and later scored on a base hit by Bowling.
The Bobcats scored a run in the second when Bryson Shone reached on a dropped third strike. He was called safe at second on a late throw on a bunt. With two on and one, the base runner on first was called out on a fielder’s choice on the next play. With runners on the corners and two outs, Luke Ferguson walked. Justin Mize then walked to score Shone.
Central scored another run in the third to tie the game at 2-2 when Seth Armstrong led-off with a double. He scored on a base hit by Shone.
That wrapped up scoring for the next five and two-thirds innings.
The Mavericks had something cooking with one out in the fifth inning when Fox and Meyers reached on back-to-back singles but a double play ended the threat.
The Bobcats had a runner on second with two outs in the bottom of the seventh but Jackson Muncy entered the game in relief of Moog and induced a fly ball to end the inning.
Central managed to load the bases with no outs in the eighth but Muncy got a force out at home, a strikeout, and a pop out to second to get out of the jam.
In the bottom of the ninth, Trevor Ferguson reached on a one-out single. Garrett Hamilton then walked. Armstrong then hit a high fly ball to left that was dropped, allowing Ferguson to race home with the winning run.
Muncy took the hard-luck loss after pitching one and two-thirds innings of relief. He allowed one run (none earned) on three hits with two strikeouts.
Moog (no decisions) pitched six and two-thirds innings and allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts.
Central’s Trevor Ferguson came away with no decision after pitching eight innings and allowing two runs on 12 hits with five strikeouts.
Cole Rheinecker picked up the win after pitching one scoreless and hitless inning of relief.
Meyers led the Mavericks with three hits and an RBI while Bowling had two hits and an RBI.
Fox had two hits as did Sexton — with one hit being a double.
Caleb Wilhoit, Zach Webber, and Tyler Phillips each had a hit as well.
The Mavericks fell into the loser’s bracket after a loss to host Powell in the first round of the District 3-3A Tournament last Thursday.
The final score was 3-0.
The Mavericks had a scoring threat in the first inning when Fox singled with two outs and Webber reached on a dropped third strike. A wild pitch moved runners to second and third but a grounder to third ended the inning.
In the bottom of the first, Powell added a run with two outs to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Powell added two more runs to make it a 3-0 lead.
Bowling led-off the third with a base hit for Anderson County and moved to second when Fox singled again. The threat ended after a double play and a strikeout.
The Mavericks got one more hit the rest of the way — a single by Bowling in the fifth inning — as Walker Trusley threw a masterpiece for the Panthers.
He pitched seven innings for the win and surrendered just four hits and fanned 10 batters.
Chase Elkins turned in another great performance on the mound for the Mavericks but still took the loss. He pitched six innings and allowed three runs on five hits with nine strikeouts.
Bowling and Fox each had two hits to account for the Anderson County offense for the night.
The Mavericks ended their regular season in big way last Wednesday with a 17-5 win at Campbell County.
Wilhoit drove in the first run of the game in the first inning with a double, opening the floodgate of runs to come in the contest.
Anderson County posted four runs in the first and added two more in the third but the Cougars scored one in each of the first two innings and three in the third to pull to with a run at 6-5.
The Mavericks blew the game open in the fourth inning with a six-run outburst. Helping trigger scoring was a Bowling home run and an Elkins double.
Anderson County ended the game in six innings after a five-run sixth kicked in the mercy rule.
Jacob Burns picked up the win for the Mavericks. He pitched two and a third innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out two.
Cole Foust pitched three and two-thirds innings of relief to record the save. He allowed one unearned run on five hits with seven strikeouts.
Bowling enjoyed a huge day at the plate as he went 3-5 with a home run, a double, and four RBI.
Elkins was 2-4 with two doubles and four RBI while Moog went 3-4 with three RBI.
Fox went 2-4 with a triple and two RBI.
Wilhoit was 2-4 with two doubles and an RBI while Zach Webber was 1-2 with a double and two RBI.
Phillips added a double.
Sexton and Grayson Terry each had a hit.