Dominating pitching performance by Buckles leads Cyclones past East
Published 4:45 pm Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cyclone catcher JD Hooks lays down a perfect sacrifice bunt against East.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders EHS shortstop Rhett Slagle reaches third safely on a triple by using his left hand to grab the bag.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cyclone first baseman Bryson Rowland slides head first back to the bag on a pickoff attempt.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton second baseman Steven Meadows makes an off balanced throw to first base.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton Rhett Slagle throws a bullet to first base to retire a potential Patriot baserunner.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cyclone pitcher Jackson Buckles fields a bunt and throws to first base as an East runner breaks from third base.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders An East base runner beats the tag by Cyclone catcher JD Hooks.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
The Elizabethton Cyclones were looking to pick up another big Upper Lakes Conference victory when they played host to the Sullivan East Patriots at Northeast Community Credit Union Ball Park.
Thanks to an impressive complete-game effort from pitcher Jackson Buckles, the Cyclones did just that as they dealt the visitors a 6-2 setback.
Aside from a second inning that saw the Cyclones allow the Patriots to even the game at 2-2 with four consecutive bunts and three errors in the frame, the Cyclones rally behind Buckles who recorded 11 strikeouts in the contest while walking only two East batters.
The Cyclones took the early lead in the bottom of the first registering two runs.
Bryson Rowland worked a walk and advanced to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt by Cyclone catcher JD Hooks. East looked to get out of the inning unscathed with two outs but that wasn’t going to be the case.
Rhett Slagle hit a sharp ball to left field that the left fielder couldn’t come up with as Slagle turned on the wheels to race around to third with a triple driving in Rowland.
A Justin Whitehead single scored Slagle and put the ball into the hands of Buckles.
After a nightmarish second inning where the Patriots tied the game 2-2, the Cyclones regained the lead in the bottom of the third inning.
With one out, Steven Meadows laced a single to left field. Slagle picked up his second hit of the game with a single to put runners at first and second base.
Once again the Patriots looked to get out of the inning by recording a pop-fly out before Brayden Buckles ripped a triple to center field allowing both baserunners to cross the plate for a 4-2 lead.
Elizabethton added some security runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when Logan Campbell opened the inning with a double followed by a single from Jeriah Griffin putting down a bunt in front of the East catcher.
Jack Blevins picked up Campbell with a fielder’s choice bunt to extend the lead to 5-3. Rowland sacrificed both runners up a base before a sac fly by Hooks scored Griffin to give the game its final score.
The Cyclones outhit the Patriots 9-4 while committing three errors to only one for East.
Buckles threw 92 pitches with 65 finding the strike zone facing a total of 30 East batters.
