Vikings Post Fourth Run-Rule Victory in Five Games in Win at East
The Tennessee High baseball team is making a mockery of the competition so far this spring, and on Monday the Vikings continued their bludgeoning ways with a 17-0 smackdown of homestanding Sullivan East in the Upper Lakes Conference opener for both squads.
The Vikings (4-1) have been a juggernaut to this point of the season, also owning wins of 18-1 and 12-0 over West Ridge, plus a 10-0 shutout of perennial Class 1 (Virginia) power Lebanon.
Preston Roberts has been in charge at THS for a long time, so the 11th-year boss knows when to coach 'em up and when to stay out of the way of his dialed-in Vikings.
And, oh by the way, Kaleb Feathers pitched a complete-game, one-hitter for his coach, striking out five batters and walking nobody to record a five-inning shutout.
""We're playing well, we're playing well,"" Roberts allowed. ""They feed off of each other's energy, which is really good. There's something special about this bunch.
""It reminds me of the '18 team (30 wins) in that they were close and they all were really good friends, and they want to see each other succeed. Most of my teams are like that, but they can't always be, you know. But this one is. It roots for each other constantly.""
The Vikings actually started slower than usual in this victory, not getting it cooking until the third inning. But by then, the runaway train had started to get out of control.
Tennessee High scored four times in the third to take a 5-0 lead before sending a dozen batters to the plate in an eight-run fourth, good for a 13-0 advantage.
By the fifth frame, with East using its sixth pitcher and dropping two fly balls in the outfield while walking three hitters and delivering several wild pitches and passed balls, the Vikings were still adding runs, pushing across four more.
Tripp Lively came off the bench to line a two-run single to conclude the scoring.
""You see, man, ya bring guys off the bench who don't hardly get to play a whole lot and they embrace their opportunity and take advantage of it,"" Roberts said. ""Guys like Tripp Lively there.
""Gave him an opportunity in the middle of the game against West Ridge and he smacked a two-RBI single up the middle when really the game was still close, like 7-1 at that point. Comes off the bench tonight and does the same thing. That's neat to see, guys like that who have been loyal to the program taking advantage and seizing their opportunities when they happen.""
The usual gang stood tall otherwise, with 1-3 hitters Dane Musick, Bryson Hutton and Gage Graziano each collecting two of Tennessee High's 11 base hits, and reliable Issac Blevins doing the same out of the 6 hole.
Graziano and Blevins both collected three RBIs, each lacing a two-run double. Ashton Leonard also stroked a two-run double.
Musick, coming off a 4-for-4 game against West Ridge, finished 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles and a pair of walks. He scored three times, giving him seven runs scored in his last two games. A sophomore with mail-order physique, Musick has become the perfect leadoff man for Roberts.
""Obviously you look for a guy in the leadoff spot who can be a catalyst and get things going, and Dane has been perfect for that and is really playing well,"" Roberts said. ""I joked with him in preseason and asked him if he'd ever heard of (hall of famer) Rickey Henderson, but he's built like that with that explosive speed and explosive power.
""He's just a sophomore, so he's got a chance to be really special.""
Feather, a senior right-hander, was the beneficiary of Tennessee High's most-recent outburst.
""Kaleb Feathers is doing his thing,"" Roberts said. ""I mean, he's a senior and between him and Cainan (Meyers) you could say they're both aces, they really are.
""They've pitched in the program a long time and both have state tournament experience and big-time playoff game experience. Just big-time composure from both of those guys. They know how to have fun, like in practice, and they know when to lock in when it's time to go.""
Darrin Carrier lofted a soft single to right field in the fourth inning to break up Feathers' bid at a perfect game. Otherwise, East managed to produce no baserunners.
Starting pitcher Zach Johnson took the loss for the Patriots, who'll try their luck again Tuesday when the two teams meet in a 6:30 p.m. return game at Tod Houston Field in Bristol.
THS's only loss was by a 10-0 count a week ago to the powerful Miller School out of Virginia.
Tennessee High - Kaleb Feathers and Cainan Myers. Sullivan East - Zach Johnson, Avery McCoy (3), D.J. Carrier (4), Nic Gobble (4), Jonah Smith (4), Blake Hayes (5) and TK Crowder. W -- Kaleb Feathers. L -- Zach Johnson. 2B - Tennessee High 5 (Dane Musick 2, Gage Graziano, Isaac Blevins, Ashton Leonard). RBI - Tennessee High 9 (Gage Graziano 3, Ashton Leonard 2, Isaac Blevins 2, T. Lively 2). SB - Tennessee High 7 (B. Hutton 2, Dane Musick 2, Cainan Myers, Gage Graziano, Isaac Blevins).
The Vikings (4-1) have been a juggernaut to this point of the season, also owning wins of 18-1 and 12-0 over West Ridge, plus a 10-0 shutout of perennial Class 1 (Virginia) power Lebanon.
Preston Roberts has been in charge at THS for a long time, so the 11th-year boss knows when to coach 'em up and when to stay out of the way of his dialed-in Vikings.
And, oh by the way, Kaleb Feathers pitched a complete-game, one-hitter for his coach, striking out five batters and walking nobody to record a five-inning shutout.
""We're playing well, we're playing well,"" Roberts allowed. ""They feed off of each other's energy, which is really good. There's something special about this bunch.
""It reminds me of the '18 team (30 wins) in that they were close and they all were really good friends, and they want to see each other succeed. Most of my teams are like that, but they can't always be, you know. But this one is. It roots for each other constantly.""
The Vikings actually started slower than usual in this victory, not getting it cooking until the third inning. But by then, the runaway train had started to get out of control.
Tennessee High scored four times in the third to take a 5-0 lead before sending a dozen batters to the plate in an eight-run fourth, good for a 13-0 advantage.
By the fifth frame, with East using its sixth pitcher and dropping two fly balls in the outfield while walking three hitters and delivering several wild pitches and passed balls, the Vikings were still adding runs, pushing across four more.
Tripp Lively came off the bench to line a two-run single to conclude the scoring.
""You see, man, ya bring guys off the bench who don't hardly get to play a whole lot and they embrace their opportunity and take advantage of it,"" Roberts said. ""Guys like Tripp Lively there.
""Gave him an opportunity in the middle of the game against West Ridge and he smacked a two-RBI single up the middle when really the game was still close, like 7-1 at that point. Comes off the bench tonight and does the same thing. That's neat to see, guys like that who have been loyal to the program taking advantage and seizing their opportunities when they happen.""
The usual gang stood tall otherwise, with 1-3 hitters Dane Musick, Bryson Hutton and Gage Graziano each collecting two of Tennessee High's 11 base hits, and reliable Issac Blevins doing the same out of the 6 hole.
Graziano and Blevins both collected three RBIs, each lacing a two-run double. Ashton Leonard also stroked a two-run double.
Musick, coming off a 4-for-4 game against West Ridge, finished 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles and a pair of walks. He scored three times, giving him seven runs scored in his last two games. A sophomore with mail-order physique, Musick has become the perfect leadoff man for Roberts.
""Obviously you look for a guy in the leadoff spot who can be a catalyst and get things going, and Dane has been perfect for that and is really playing well,"" Roberts said. ""I joked with him in preseason and asked him if he'd ever heard of (hall of famer) Rickey Henderson, but he's built like that with that explosive speed and explosive power.
""He's just a sophomore, so he's got a chance to be really special.""
Feather, a senior right-hander, was the beneficiary of Tennessee High's most-recent outburst.
""Kaleb Feathers is doing his thing,"" Roberts said. ""I mean, he's a senior and between him and Cainan (Meyers) you could say they're both aces, they really are.
""They've pitched in the program a long time and both have state tournament experience and big-time playoff game experience. Just big-time composure from both of those guys. They know how to have fun, like in practice, and they know when to lock in when it's time to go.""
Darrin Carrier lofted a soft single to right field in the fourth inning to break up Feathers' bid at a perfect game. Otherwise, East managed to produce no baserunners.
Starting pitcher Zach Johnson took the loss for the Patriots, who'll try their luck again Tuesday when the two teams meet in a 6:30 p.m. return game at Tod Houston Field in Bristol.
THS's only loss was by a 10-0 count a week ago to the powerful Miller School out of Virginia.
Tennessee High |
104 |
84 |
-- |
17 |
11 |
0 |
|
Sullivan East |
000 |
00 |
-- |
0 |
1 |
4 |
Tennessee High - Kaleb Feathers and Cainan Myers. Sullivan East - Zach Johnson, Avery McCoy (3), D.J. Carrier (4), Nic Gobble (4), Jonah Smith (4), Blake Hayes (5) and TK Crowder. W -- Kaleb Feathers. L -- Zach Johnson. 2B - Tennessee High 5 (Dane Musick 2, Gage Graziano, Isaac Blevins, Ashton Leonard). RBI - Tennessee High 9 (Gage Graziano 3, Ashton Leonard 2, Isaac Blevins 2, T. Lively 2). SB - Tennessee High 7 (B. Hutton 2, Dane Musick 2, Cainan Myers, Gage Graziano, Isaac Blevins).
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