Blackman sweeps pair from WCMS

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard

Derrin Rogers delivers during Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader. (Rob Nunley photo)

Warren County Middle School took a pair of tough losses Friday night, as they were handed a doubleheader sweep by Blackman at Patrick Ramsey Field.

The Pioneers fell 8-5 in Friday’s seven-inning opening game, then dropped the five-inning nightcap by a 7-1 final score.

Blackman took control in Game 1 behind a strong pitching performance from starter Marcus Barnes, who fanned 13 Pioneer hitters before leaving the game in the sixth.

The Pioneers managed just one run against Barnes, when Chase Basham led off the second with a walk, stole second and third, then scored on a wild pitch.

Blackman took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, then answered Warren County’s run with three more in the third and posted three in the sixth to take an 8-1 lead.

But the Pioneers got to the Blaze bullpen for four sixth-inning runs. Levi Bain walked to lead off the inning, and Nick Williams singled, later scoring on a wild pitch. Todd Dunn reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on an error.

Justin Bouldin walked and was driven in by Basham, who later stole home for the Pioneers’ final run of the game.

Williams, Derrin Rogers, Basham and Casey Talbert had a hit each for the Pioneers, while Rogers took the loss on the mound, working the first 5-1/3 innings of the game.

Blackman started early in Friday’s Game 2, posting three first-inning runs on three hits against Bain, who started but only worked 1-2/3 innings before giving way to Justin Fults.

Bain scored the Pioneers’ only run in the bottom of the first, reaching on an error and coming around to score on an RBI groundout from Rogers.

The Blaze added three runs in the second, another in the third and one more in the fourth to seal the win, and Blackman pitcher Ryan Cole went the distance, allowing hits to Todd Dunn and Kyle Mullican. Mulllican’s single with two outs in the fifth threatened to bring around Josh Moore, but the Blaze tagged out Moore at the plate to end the game.

Chad Hunter led Blackman at the plate with a 2-for-3 game, including an RBI triple in the first.

The Pioneers return to action this weekend, when they travel to Nashville to take part in the Twitty City Middle School Classic.