The Elizabethton Fire Department wasn’t on the scene last night at Joe O’Brien Field but didn’t need to be as Evan Carter was putting out any fires that the Unicoi County Blue Devils were trying to start.

Utilizing a dizzying fastball, the junior right-handed pitcher found himself in only one little jam in going the full seven innings and whiffing 13 Blue Devil batters en route to a 6-2 victory to keep the Cyclones undefeated in Three Rivers Conference play.

The Cyclones didn’t swing the bats particularly well collecting only five hits but did what any good team does and that is to take advantage of your opponent’s mistakes.

Elizabethton broke out front first in the bottom of the second inning as Matthew Dailey reached on a Blue Devil error to open the inning.

With one out, Jaden Anderson walked to put runners at first and second base for Elizabethton. Ashton Wilson followed by delivering a single that scored Dailey making it a 1-0 game.

Another Unicoi Co. error on the shortstop allowed Nico Ashley to safely reach first base and brought Anderson home to extend the lead to 2-0.

Karson Dillard continued to swing a hot bat as his single plated Wilson with the Cyclones third run of the inning.

The Blue Devils put together a rally in the top of the fourth inning as they would slice the EHS lead to 3-2.

Keaton Casey doubled to lead off the frame and took third on a single by Caleb Crain just over the head of the Cyclone second baseman.

After Carter struck out Peyton Whitson, Brett Strother took Carter’s fastball 400 feet to deep center and off the wall to drive both Blue Devil runners home.

Carter and his teammates worked out of the threat to protect the one-run lead.

Elizabethton tacked on some insurance in the bottom of the fifth inning once again thanks to the generosity of the Blue Devil defense.

Cyclone catcher Evan Perkins led things off with a single to left field and another single off the bat of Dailey chased Perkins to second base.

Lawson Wagner hit into a fielder’s choice which was misplayed at shortstop allowing Perkins to score as did Dailey on a diving bang-bang play at home plate.

Wagner played heads up baseball going all the way to third base while the Blue Devils were throwing the ball around the infield.

Anderson’s single plated Wagner and the Cyclones had all the run support they would need for Carter with the 6-2 lead that would hold up for the rest of the contest.

“I was feeling pretty good,” said Carter of his Herculean effort from the hill. “I was just ready to get out here and compete and in a conference game, you always want to do the best you can.

“I was a little mad after that one inning and I had a little attitude coming in there after that. I think we are starting to mesh together good. We are having a lot of fun in the locker room and on the field.

“It’s been fun to play the last couple of weeks.”

For Elizabethton head coach Ryan Presnell, the most significant part of the game was knowing that a pitcher like Carter is wearing the Cyclone uniform.

“We luckily have him on our side,” said Presnell of his starting pitcher. “When you have a guy like that, it’s one of those things that you scrape out five or six runs you are going to get a win typically especially when he is throwing so many fastballs for strikes.

“I don’t think it was a great night tonight for this ball club but when you look at the span of the number of games you play, you are allowed to have off nights and at the end of day we had an off night for us but got a win over a pretty good ball club.”

The Cyclones (9-0, 17-4) traveled to Unicoi Co. on Tuesday night to wrap up regular-season play with the Blue Devils.