Baseball bullied by Blackman

By Rob Nunley

Lane McCoy laces a single to left field in his first at-bat, the first of three base hits by the Pioneer left fielder, who had five of his team’s 11 hits in the two-game series with the Blaze.

Both games of the Pioneer baseball team’s final district series had similar beginnings, and unfortunately for WCHS and its fans, had similar results.

First-inning longballs by three different members of the Blackman Blaze put the Murfreesboro squad on top early in both Saturday and Monday’s contests. And although the Pioneers tried to battle their way back, they fell short in both games, losing 8-3 in Murfreesboro Saturday and 9-5 at home on Monday.

Monday’s game saw the Blaze take an early 7-0 lead, beginning with two out in the first when Justin Bowers launched a line shot over the center-field wall for a two-run homer. Shortstop Mitch Cox came up next, and slammed the first pitch he saw from Pioneer starter Tyler Gilley over the scoreboard in left field.

The Blaze struck for two more in the second, on an RBI double from Dylan Myers and a sacrifice fly from Matt Ford. They added a single run in the third, as Cox reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and came home when a grounder to new pitcher Dakota Taylor was thrown wide of first.

Blackman’s next run came in the fourth, as Myers was hit by a pitch and bunted over by Ford. He looked to be caught trying to steal third, but catcher Clint Newman’s throw went into left, allowing the Blaze’s seventh run to jog home.

The Pioneers broke the shutout in the bottom of the fourth, as Zach Fisher got to BHS starter Ross Mitchell for a leadoff double, and came home when Lane McCoy singled to right.

Both offenses quieted in the next inning, and the Pioneer bats came to life in the sixth, as McCoy and Casey Talbert started the inning with back-to-back singles. McCoy came home when Newman drilled a double into the left-field corner, and a single from Justin Bouldin plated two more runs and chased Blackman reliever Kirkland Wheeler in favor of Jon Sisco, who gave up just one more hit and fanned five batters as he closed out the game.

Blackman added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh, when Cox doubled home Wheeler and Bowers, and although Talbert and Newman drew back-to-back two-out walks in the bottom of the frame, Sisco got Bouldin to strike out swinging to end the game.

McCoy finished 3-for-4 to lead the Pioneers’ effort at the plate, while Fisher, Talbert, Newman, Bouldin and Kyle Mullican had a hit apiece.

Gilley worked two innings, allowing five earned runs on five hits and a walk while striking out two batters. Taylor gave up four runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk over five innings, walking one batter, hitting two and striking out four.

‘ Saturday afternoon in Murfreesboro, the Pioneers fell behind 3-1 by the end of the first inning, as Wheeler connected for a two-run blast off Josh Mullins and Bowers had a solo shot.

Late in the game, though, Blackman put together five insurance runs on five hits against reliever Andy Southard, giving them the cushion they’d need as WCHS plated two more runs in the bottom of the seventh.

McCoy once again led the team’s efforts, with two of their three hits, while Fisher’s leadoff triple to start the game was the only other Pioneer base knock.

WCHS took on Stone Memorial in its final home game of the year last night, and will play Siegel in the opening round of the District 7-AAA tournament Friday. The game will be played at Oakland’s Mack Hawks Field, and a starting time has not yet been announced.

Entering last night’s game, the Pioneers’ record stood at 10-20 overall. They finished their district season at 5-9, in sixth place of the eight-team league.

District 7-AAA Baseball Standings
Team Final Dist. Rec. Overall Rec.

Cookeville 12-2 20-7

Oakland 11-3 20-8

Siegel 10-4 18-8

Blackman 7-7 20-10

Riverdale 7-7 18-10

Warren Co. 5-9 10-20

Lebanon 4-10 19-15

White Co. 0-14 4-16