WCHS downs Coffee County in 10 innings
The Pioneers finally picked up a win over Coffee County Thursday night, but a victory in their third battle of the year with the Red Raiders didn’t come easily — or quickly.
Colby Killian pitched 6-1/3 innings of one-hit relief, and plated the game winning run with a line shot up the middle, to end a 10-inning marathon and give Warren County (7-11) a 4-3 win over the Red Raiders.
Killian, the third pitcher used by the Pioneers on the night, came on with two outs and two on in the fourth inning. An error allowed the Red Raiders to load the bases, but Killian picked up the first of his 12 strikeouts on the night to end the threat.
Coffee County got off to a strong start, posting three runs in the first inning against Pioneer starter Joey Haston. West singled to start the game, and J.J. Webster and Justin McNeese followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases.
Bubba Vincent came through with a two-run single to right, and with one out Josh Peterson singled to bring home McNeese with what would prove to be the Raiders’ only run.
Tyler Herriman singled in the bottom of the inning, went to third on a hit from Dylan Stephens, and scored Warren County’s first run of the night on a balk from Raider pitcher Aaron Dugan.
In the second inning, Stephen Ehrhardt reached with a one-out single, went to second on a Nick Cantrell hit, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a Chase McGee single to make it a 3-2 Raider lead.
Killian reached on a one-out error in the Pioneer sixth, and courtesy runner Jordan Underhill was moved around by a Josh Bratcher walk and a bunt single from Todd Gilley.
With two out and the bases loaded, Coffee County went to its bullpen, bringing on Travis Blackburn. But Blackburn walked Cantrell, forcing home Underhill with the tying run.
Webster beat out an infield single in the sixth, recording the only hit against Killian, and the Pioneers went hitless through the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. No WCHS player reached base until the bottom of the 10h, when Herriman walked with one out and stole second base.
Dylan Stephens was intentionally walked, and Killian slapped a 3-2 pitch from Coffee County’s Chris Gilley right back where it came from, sending Gilley to the dirt and bringing home Herriman with the game-winning run.
Haston was charged with all three CCHS runs, and gave up three hits through his two innings of work while striking out two batters. Tyler Daniel, who came on in the third and worked 1-1/3 innings, allowed just one hit and fanned two while walking one.
At the plate the Pioneers collected eight hits, with Stephens’ 2-for-4 night the only multi-hit performance. McGee, Herriman, Killian, Gilley, Ehrhardt and Cantrell had Warren County’s other hits.
The Pioneers were scheduled to take on Lincoln County on the road Saturday afternoon, and return to district play Monday for the first game of a two-day series with Lebanon.
First pitch Monday at Lebanon’s Baird field is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.