WCHS struggles at home tourney
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Joey Haston pitched the first five innings of the shutout victory, which improved WCHS’s overall record to 5-11. The senior allowed just four hits and balanced five strikeouts against one walk. Coty Grissom came on for the save, giving up a hit and fanning one batter during a scoreless seventh.
The Irish, coached by former Pioneer George Oleksik, entered the game on the heels of two victories from Friday’s action, as they downed both Rhea County and Smith County.
But after two scoreless innings, the Pioneers finally got to Irish starter Matt Cain in the bottom of the third. Jacob Bratcher reached on an error to start the inning, and after stealing second was moved to third on a Dylan Stephens single. Josh Bratcher walked to load the bases, and Haston helped his own cause, driving in Jacob Bratcher with an RBI fielder’s choice.
Nick Cantrell beat out a grounder to short with one out in the fourth, and moved to second and third on a Cain error and wild pitch, respectively, before coming home on Jacob Bratcher’s two-out RBI double. Bratcher was plated by Tyler Herriman, who broke out of his recent hitting slump with a single up the middle for the game’s final run.
Jacob Bratcher finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs, while Stephens went 2-for-4 for the Pioneers’ only multi-hit performance. Herriman, Chase McGee and Cantrell had the team’s other hits.
In earlier action at the Classic:
Thursday
Coffee Co. 8, Pioneers 0
Hits were hard to come by for the Pioneers in their opening contest of the round-robin tournament, but McGee and Jordan Underhill each came through with two in a shutout loss to the Red Raiders.
Todd Gilley got the start on the hill, working five innings and allowing four runs (two earned) while fanning eight batters. Jared Qualls worked the final two innings of relief.
Coffee County plated two runs in the second inning, another in the fourth, struck for four in the sixth and another in the seventh on its way to the win.
Friday
Rhea County 9, Pioneers 5 (8 inn.)
The Pioneers rallied from one early deficit, but Rhea County’s Eagles refused to lay down, as they tied the game in the sixth inning and plated four runs in the top of the eighth.
Landon Boren worked in to the seventh inning, allowing six runs (three earned) and five hits while striking out six batters. Tyler Daniel was saddled with the loss, giving up four earned runs in the top of the eighth inning on four hits and a pair of walks.
At the plate, McGee finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases, while Haston was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Stephens and Josh Bratcher had the Pioneers’ other two hits in the game.
Brad Hankins and Steve Roberts had a pair of hits for the Eagles, who went up 4-0 in the top of the second only to see the Pioneers bounce back with three runs in the bottom of the frame and two more in the third. Hankins singled with one out in the sixth, and scored on an error at second base.
The Pioneers were set to face Smith County Saturday night to wrap up the Classic, but results were unavailable at press time. Look for details on their game against the Owls in Wednesday’s Standard.