BLOUNTVILLE – Senior righthander Matthew Dailey surrendered a leadoff double to Trey Sells then set down the next 15 Sullivan Central hitters and the Elizabethton Cyclones quickly built a big lead.

The Cyclones (20-5 overall, 12-0 TRC) took an 11-0 five-inning, mercy-rule win on Tuesday afternoon and clinched an unbeaten Three Rivers Conference season in the process.

“Absolutely unbelievable effort from a senior who has done a lot of things for this program on and off the field,” Cyclones head coach Ryan Presnell said. “I thought it was a great way for him to end his district run and he has done it consistently for three years.

“I’m incredibly proud of the effort he put forth tonight and help us wrap up an undefeated conference season.”

EHS struck for four runs in each of the first and second innings against the lefthander Sells rapping out ten hits over those two frames.

In the first inning, Karson Dillard and Bryson Rollins each delivered hits with a single and double respectively.

Dillard scored on Rollins hit and Evan Perkins single delivered two more runs and Jaden Anderson also had an RBI base knock.

In the second stanza, Dailey helped his cause with a two-run double with another run coming across on an infield error and Cooper Tipton’s infield base knock made it an 8-0 contest.

Meanwhile, Dailey was simply untouchable mixing a good fastball with a nice curveball and slider and other than the one hit would have had a perfect game as he did not issue a walk and the Cyclones defense made zero errors.

“I just went out there – felt good and I just threw it in there for strikes because I knew my defense would back me up,” Dailey said. “It’s a huge accomplishment and we are all honored to be the first in school history to have an unbeaten conference season.”

The Cyclones added a pair of runs in the third inning with Perkins and Lawson Wagner each having RBI hits as EHS now led 10-0.

In the fifth, a sacrifice fly by Wagner plated the final run of the contest.

For EHS, Perkins went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in and Dailey also had a 2-for-3 outing with a pair of RBI’s and Wagner also drove in a couple of runs.

On the mound, Dailey struck out eight and walked none.

EHS 11-0

EHS     442 01 – 11 14 0

Central 000 00 –   0   1 3

W – Dailey L – Sells