One bad inning… Five-run third seals fate of Bulldogs, 9-4
Published 3:46 pm Tuesday, June 23, 2020
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Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Bulldog submarine hurler Austin Miller prepares to deliver a pitch to home plate.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Bulldog pitcher Brody Hicks tosses over to first baseman McKinley Wayne Kuhn on a pick-off attempt.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Bulldog catcher Morgan Lyons tosses the ball to pitcher Brody Hicks as a Red Wing base runner attempts to score on a wild pitch. The toss was late as the run scored.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Hampton head coach Andrew Smith prepares to take the ball and make a pitching change in Monday action from Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Former major leaguer and Elizabethton Twin assistant coach Jeff Reed is the head coach of the Providence Red Wings in the East Tennessee Baseball League.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Bulldog batter Elijah Smith takes a cut at a pitch in Monday's contest against the Red Wings.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Hampton second baseman Joshua Whitson awaits the throw from his catcher as a Red Wing player attempts a steal. The base runner was safe.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Hampton lefty Dalton Rouse sets to fire one to the plate.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
The Bulldogs Morgan Lyons dives back to first base safely on a pick-off attempt.
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
For the first three games of the East Tennessee Baseball League, the Bulldogs (Hampton) have played teams two classifications above the normal teams they are accustomed to playing and the bumps and bruises showed it.
On Monday night at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark, the Bulldogs were finally able to square off against a team that they could match up with when they took on the Red Wings (Providence) coached by Jeff Reed.
For five of the six innings the game was played, Hampton was right there neck and neck with the Red Wings until the faithful third inning when Hampton crumbled just enough to give up five runs that were the difference in the ball game.
The Bulldogs and Redwings were tied at 2-2 going into the bottom of the third when the Red Wings edged ahead by scoring a single run on a walked batter.
The baserunner, Chadwhick, proceeded to steal second base and advanced on a fielder’s choice. Chadwhick scored on a wild pitch by Brody Hicks making it a 3-2 contest.
Morgan Lyons got the Bulldogs off on the right foot in the top of the third on a single and swiped second base. McKinley Kuhn drew a walk with two outs before the Red Wings got out of the inning by getting Landen Street on a strikeout.
The wheels fell off the bus in the bottom of the frame as reliever submarine pitcher Austin Miller, who had a great outing against the Deamons (Greeneville), just couldn’t find the plate as the lefty gave up two walks and plunked two Red Wing batters allowing a run to score on a wild pitch.
Bulldog manager Andrew Smith had to make the call to reliever Dalton Rouse who was greeted by Mabry Runnells who stroked a two-run single and a wild pitch allowed another runner to score before Rouse finally got through the frame.
Trailing 8-2, the Bulldogs continued to battle as they reclaimed one run in the top of the fourth inning.
With one out, Jonathan Greenwell laced a single and advanced to second base on a balk by the Red Wing pitcher.
Greenwell stole third base and on the play, the throw from the catcher sailed into the outfield allowing Greenwell to scamper home for the score to make it 8-3 Red Wings.
The Red Wings got the run back in the bottom of the inning to make it 9-3 heading into the top of the fifth inning.
Lyons was back in the mix once again lacing a one-out single. Rouse drew a base on balls and Elijah Smith promptly delivered an RBI single to plate Lyons making it a 9-4 contest.
The Bulldogs held the Red Wings scoreless in the bottom of the fifth and couldn’t plate anything in the top of the sixth inning as the game came to a close on the two-hour time limit.
In Wednesday action, the Bulldogs will take on the Raiders (Sullivan North) at 5 pm at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark while the Cyclones (Elizabethton) will tangle with the Red Wings at 7 pm in Johnson City at TVA Credit Union Ballpark.
