Mavs get first win of season vs. OR
Anderson County’s Hudson Hartgrove makes solid contact against Oak Ridge pitching. (photo:Tony Cox )
“Our offense, we’ve been struggling with it this week with guys in scoring positio,” Boynton said. “Hitters came out in the first inning and put up a five-spot which was big for us.
“The guys have been really put in a tough spot this week losing four one-run games. They’ve lost a bit of confidence but I told them to hang with it and that good things are going to come and today they did,” he said.
The Mavs scored five runs in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. Hayden Hartgrove led off with a single and scored on a double by Luke Lowery. Hudson Hartgrove then drew a walk and stole second. Thor Williams walked to load the bases with no outs and Bryson Wolfenbarger drove in two with a base hit, with Williams moving to third. Wolfenbarger then stole second and Eli Davis grounded out to second to score Williams and move Wolfenbarger to third. Logan Housewright then singled to score Wolfenbarger. Hayden Bond then drew a walk but the offensive outburst stalled after five runs.
Oak Ridge added a couple of unearned runs in the fourth to cut the Anderson County lead to 5-3.
The Mavericks answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth as Hudson Hartgrove reached on a one-out single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Williams walked to put runners on first and second. Wolfenbarger then reached after being hit by a pitch. An errant pick-off throw to first allowed Hartgrove to score and Williams went all the way to third base as Wolfenbarger moved to second. Davis singled to score both runners to give the Mavs an 8-3 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth , Anderson County added two more runs when Wyatt Cox reached on a lead-off walk. He then scored on a double by Hayden Hartgrove. Hartgrove then scored on a double by Lowery to give the Mavs a 10-3 lead.
Cox got the start and earned the win. He went four innings and allowed no earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts and four walks.
The Mavericks opened the season with a 4-3 loss at King’s Academy last Monday.
The game was part of the “Play for a Cure” tournament.
After Anderson County scored in the top of the first, the Lions scored three in the bottom of the inning.
The 3-1 score held until the top of the seventh when the Mavs plated two runs to tie the game at 3-3.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the tenth when the Lions scored to pick up the win.
At the plate, Hayden Hartgrove went 2-4 with a double and two runs scored. Cox was 1-4 with a run scored.
Hudson Hartgrove went 3-4 with a double, three RBI, and a walk. Housewright was 2-4 with a double.
Wolfenbarger and Davis each had a hit as well.
In the second game of the tournament on Tuesday, the Mavs fell to William Blount by a score of 9-8.
In somewhat of an echo of the previous day, the Mavs scored a run in the top of the first but the Govs scored seven in the bottom of the inning to take the huge lead.
The 7-1 score held until the top of the fourth when Anderson County scored four runs to make it a 7-5 game. William Blount picked up a run to extend their lead to 8-5.
In the top of the fifth, the Mavs scored three times to tie the game at 8-8. Unfortunately for Anderson County, the Govs scored a walk-off run in the bottom half of the inning.
On Wednesday, the Mavs fell to Sevier County at Carson Newman by a score of 5-4.
The Smoky Bears scored in the top of the first but Anderson County tied the game in the bottom of the inning. They went up 2-1 in the second inning and led until the top of the fifth.
Sevier County plated three runs to take a 4-2 lead.
They added another run in the top of the seventh to extend their lead to 5-2.
Anderson County scored twice in the bottom of the seventh but their rally fell just short.
Bond took the loss. He pitched five innings and allowed four earned runs on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks. At the plate he was 1-2 with a walk.
Hayden Hartgrove pitched two innings of relief and allowed one earned run on three hits. At the plate, he was 1-3 with a run scored, walk, and an RBI.
Williams was 2-4 with a triple and a RBI.
Lowery was 1-3 with a double, a run scored, and a walk.
Davis added an RBI while Housewright, Hartgrove, and Cox each had a hit.
On Thursday, Anderson County dropped a road game to Lebanon by a score of 3-2.
Lebanon went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first and that score held until the top of the fourth when the Mavs tied the game at 1-1.
Anderson County took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth.
Unfortunately for the Mavs, Lebanon scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead and close out all scoring for the game.
Starter Wolfenbarger took the loss. He went six innings and allowed three earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts and four walks. He was also 1-2 with a double at the plate.
Hudson Hartgrove and Cox had the only other hits for Anderson County.