Game 1 rally highlights doubleheader-Pioneers split with Smyrna
The 13-and-under Pioneer baseball team has gotten its summer season off to a running start, and played host to Smyrna Thursday night for a twin bill. After a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the opener, the Pioneers fell short in the second game, losing their first contest of the season and dropping to 5-1 on the season. Alex Walker was the hero of the hour in the opening game, as his line-drive, two-out single to center field capped a five-run inning and provided the Pioneers with a 9-8 victory over their guests. Kendall Rutledge and Daulton Foster had begun the inning with a pair of walks, and Collin Hutchings reached on an error which plated Rutledge from third. Austin Panter also reached on an error, loading the bases for Ben Wilson, who walked. Another misplayed grounder, this time off the bat of Dylan Barnes, allowed Hutchings to score, but two quick strikeouts put the Pioneers on their heels before Walker came through with his big hit. Warren County had fallen behind 4-0 before, surrendering a three-run homer to Smyrna’s Garrett Gilmore in the top of the third before scoring its first run on a Hutchings RBI single, and quickly gave up three more in the top of the fourth before Walker grounded out to plate Barnes. David Lee added a two-run double in the sixth, but Smyrna tacked on another run in the top of the seventh to go ahead by an 8-4 margin. Hutchings got the win on the mound for Warren County, working all seven innings. ‘ In Game 2, the Pioneers were holding a 5-2 lead, but a six-run fifth by Smyrna spelled doom, as the guests went on to take a 10-6 victory. Ben Wilson got the start for Warren County, cruising through the game’s opening four innings before running into trouble in the sixth and surrendering three hits, a walk and a hit batsman. Hunter Chilton came on in relief, getting the home team out of trouble in the fifth but giving up two more runs in the sixth inning. The Pioneers’ first run came in the first, when Walker drew a bases-loaded walk. In the second Logan Hill singled home Zach York, and they added three more in the fourth, an inning highlighted by back-to-back hits from Barnes and Wilson. The home club tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth, when Barnes and Wilson had back-to-back doubles, but the game was called due to the time limit after that frame, ending any further thoughts of another comeback. Warren County was scheduled to be in action Saturday afternoon, and is set to host the Murfreesboro Cavaliers for another doubleheader Thursday.