Summer’s end for River City
Clinton squad finishes with 14-4-1 record, but has back-to-back losses to Coal Creek
River City saw its 2023 summer baseball season come to an end Monday night in the postseason tournament at Gibbs High School in Corryton.
The River Boys (14-4-1) suffered a season-ending loss to the crosstown rival Coal Creek Bulls as they fell 6-3 at Steve Hunley Field.
River City also lost to the Bulls 7-3 on Sunday.
In Monday night’s game, Coal Creek’s Morgan Clark went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs and four RBIs.
The Bulls (13-9) pounded out 12 hits and took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. They broke things open with five more runs in the fifth to take a 7-0 lead.
On the mound, Jeremiah Owens pitched three innings to earn the win. He surrendered two hits and struck out five.
Jackson Webb collected a pair of hits for River City, which mounted a comeback attempt as it scored a run in the fifth and added a pair in the sixth.
Jayce Mack singled and drove in a pair while leadoff man Cam Britton doubled and scored twice and Sam Raley had one single and one RBI.
Coal Creek also had tournament wins over the Broadway Hawks, the NABF FreeBirds and the Townsend Mountainmen.
River City defeated the Bulls 4-0 in preliminary play on Saturday.
River City, meanwhile, won its first two games of the tournament as it shut out Coal Creek and blanked Townsend 3-0.
Against the Mountainmen, Isaiah Slaven doubled and put up a sparkling performance on the mound as he threw a six-inning complete game. He gave up three hits and five walks while striking out eight.
In the first contest against Coal Creek on Saturday, Harrison Shelton hurled a one-hit shutout, posting 13 strikeouts and walking just one. At the plate, he doubled twice and scored a run.
Slaven, Mack and Alex Duggins each drove in runs against the Bulls.
River City Coach Rob Stacy, who missed Monday night’s game as he’s working a baseball camp at Ole Miss, said that he was pleased with his team’s summer league performance.
“We’ve had some young kids step up, and we have six seniors,” Stacy said. “Our juniors are playing well, but they’re trying to find their place as far as leadership is concerned.
“Harrison threw really well and he’s swinging the bat. Slaven is also really coming on.”