TAD rallies for the walk-off against the Jonesborough Tigers, 4-3
Published 12:44 pm Friday, March 21, 2025
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Bryce Dillard dives back to first after the Tigers' pickoff attempt.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent The Jr. Cyclones forged ahead of the Jonesborough Middle School Tigers in walk-off fashion Thursday night, winning 4-3.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Levi Yancey records a strikeout to end the first inning.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Aaron Shelby loads before the pitch in the bottom of the second inning.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Dillard tosses to Shelby for the force at second.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Jr. Cyclones catcher Callen Reed twists his body to record the out for Elizabethton.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent A Jr. Cyclone player puts the ball in play.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Jr. Cyclone first baseman stretches out to record an out.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Bryce Dillard slides safely into second base for the steal.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Center fielder Mason Treadway moves into place for the fly ball for the final out of the fourth inning.
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By Ron Marvel
Star Correspondent
With a game-time temperature of 43 degrees and a wind chill in the 20s, the Jr. Cyclones’ bats would match the environment for a good portion of the game, but when it mattered most, they would rise to the occasion to get the win on this blustery March day. They would accomplish this in a way many good teams do early in the season—with strong work off the mound and timely hitting.
The game would not start so well for the Jr. Cyclones as they would get in trouble early. The Jonesborough Tigers took advantage of a couple of first-inning errors, a couple of free passes and a fielder’s choice to jump ahead 3-0. The Cyclones would get a run back in the bottom of the first when Bryce Dillard scampered home on a passed ball. The Jr. Cyclones threatened to get more, but Aaron Shelby was tagged out at home after a Levi Yancey single up the first base side.
The game would stay 3-1 as Yancey set down one Tiger after another. Nathan McKeehan relieved Yancey in the fifth after throwing nearly 80 pitches, and although McKeehan hit a couple of batters, he showed some grit by working out of the inning, inducing a pop fly to center that was put away by Mason Treadway.
The Cyclones would get another run in their half of the fifth by loading the bases. With one out, Shelby hit a grounder to third, and although the Tigers recorded the force at third, TAD head coach Korey Hardin alertly sent Shelby home to make it 3-2. The Jr. Cyclones, though, ended their half of the inning with a strikeout, leaving the go-ahead runner at third.
McKeehan gave up two singles in the bottom of the fifth but induced the Tigers into two harmless pop flies and picked up a strikeout to end the threat, setting up the final inning for the Jr. Cyclones.
Callen Reed and Treadway set the table with two base hits to left. The Jr. Cyclones showed some maturity at the plate, working the count to collect a couple of walks and tying the game at 3 as Reed came home. Dillard then worked the count again for the Jr. Cyclones, fouling off a couple of good pitches to get to ball four and a 4-3 win for the Cyclones.
The combination of McKeehan and Yancey pitched six quality innings and gave up no earned runs with just two walks and six strikeouts in the win. Yancey, Reed and Treadway picked up hits for the Jr. Cyclones.
Postgame, Hardin praised his team for its mental toughness.
“I told the boys we are a young team, and there will be ups and downs. We are not playing our best baseball, but we showed a lot of fight that last inning. I told the boys nothing else matters if they walk this one off, and that’s what they did. Callen and Mason started us off, and Landon Shepherd drew the walk in his first varsity at-bat. Then Bryce Dillard drew the walk there for the win. That’s a good win to build momentum and for us to keep getting better.”
