Middle schools’ baseball teams are racking up wins
There were two big wins and a hard-fought loss this week for the Middle School Mavericks baseball team, which started the week with a 14-12 loss to Alcoa.
The Mavs dropped an early lead and spent the rest of the game playing catch-up. The final inning, the Mavs drove in eight runs, very nearly evening the score, but not quite. Blake Lowe led the team on hits, while Jackson Hill led the team with three RBI. Will Ridenour and Reece Wilkerson both pitched, with Ridenour coming away with five first-pitch strikes and two strikeouts..
The next day, the team faced the Lenoir City Panthers in a game that ended with the Mavs winning 18-0 after only three innings.
Tripp Haire, Will Ridenour and Blake Lowe all finished with three RBI apiece, with Michael Wright and Easton Beaty both finishing with two hits each. Beaty pitched for two of the three innings, with seven first-pitch strikes and five strikeouts leading him to finish with a WHIP of 1.50.
Finally, on Friday, the Mavs traveled to Oak Ridge for a rematch after their hard 10-9 loss to the Wildcats earlier in the season. The Mavs came prepared this time, and after a 1-1 first inning, batted in three runners during the third to take a 4-1 lead. In the final inning, the Mavs batted six runners in, making the final score 10-3.
AJ Colorusso and Jackson Hill both finished with two RBI, followed by Trent Strickland with one. Wilkerson, Strickland, and Hill all three finished with two hits apiece.
Strickland also pitched for four of the five innings, finishing with 11 first-pitch strikes, eight strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.25.
The Dragons quickly got down to business as they traveled to Campbell County, defeating the Cougars 15-4 on Monday, March 24.
Hayden Harrell batted three runners in across two hits, followed by Sam Raley and Dallas Beets with two RBI each.
Beets pitched for three innings for the Dragons, with six strikeouts. Brennan Tipton and Camden Britton also pitched an inning each, with Tipton finishing with two strikeouts and Britton finishing with three.
Alex Duggins shut down the Campbell County Cougars at home on Wednesday night, 17-0, throwing a complete-game shutout.
The righty allowed two hits and zero runs over four innings, striking out nine and walking none.
In the first inning, the Dragons got their offense started as Hayden Harrell singled on a 2-1 count, scoring one run. The victory was secured thanks to 12 runs in the second inning. Brennan Tipton, Will Brooks, Camden Britton, Sam Raley, Harrell and Alex Duggins all moved runners across the plate with RBI in the inning. The Dragons scattered 16 hits on the night. Dallas Beets, Harrell, Tipton, Jake Rittenberry, Raley and Duggins each managed multiple hits for the Dragons. Beets went 3-3 at the plate to lead in hits. The Dragons tore up the base path, stealing 19 bases during the game, with six players, stealing more than one each. Tipton led the charge with five.
The CMS Dragons will be hosting a car wash fundraiser on Saturday, April 3, from 8 to noon at Bingham Tire. Come out and support the team.