Baylor used timely hitting, strong pitching and solid defense to defeat host McCallie, 2-1, Thursday in a D-II Middle/East Region baseball game.
Baylor freshman starter Wilson Maclellan scattered six hits, allowed an unearned run in the fifth and got out of jams in the second and third innings with runners in scoring position for the win. Freshman Gavin Roberson pitched the seventh and earned the save.
The Red Raiders (16-9, 7-7) broke a scoreless tie in the fifth as Andrew Belcher led off the inning with a double followed by Hunter Holland's two-run homer to left center.
"Wilson pitched an excellent game and of course Hunter's home run was big," said Baylor coach Gene Etter. "I am so proud of our kids on how they played tonight."
Baylor, who has won five of the last six, relied on good defense from the first inning to the end.
In the home half of the first, Baylor senior right fielder Bryson Crimmins' threw out Tyler Payne at the plate on a single by Johnny Hennen. Baylor got out of the inning on a 5-3-5 double play on Christian Burnett's infield grounder.
In the fifth with two out and the tying run on third, first baseman Alex Armstrong made a good stop of a hard hit ball by Hennen down the line and out ran him to the bag for the third out.
In the seventh with two out and no one on, Armstrong made a good scoop of a one hop throw from shortstop Holland for the game's final out.
"I didn't do a good job of coaching and we didn't do a good job of situational hitting as twice we had runners on third with less than two outs (2nd and 5th innings) and didn't score," said McCallie coach Greg Payne.
"I should have held Tyler at third base in the first on Hennen's single with no outs."
Missed Opportunities: Payne led off the home half of the first with a single, stole second and was thrown out at the plate by Crimmins' throw on Hennen's single to right.
McCallie defense returned the favor in the second, as a Thomas Boals to Tyler Payne to Christian Burnett (7-6-2) cut down Sterling Stewart at the plate trying to score from second on a Blake Layne single to left.
In the second with no out, McCallie had Winston Whitener (walk) on third and Ethan Cady (double) on second with o out, but Maclellan was able to retire Drew Vaughn, Tyson Buchanan and Thomas Boals.
In the third, Hennen doubled with two outs, but Maclellan retired Christian Burnett on an infield grounder.
In the fifth, McCallie as able to score an unearned run on a Buchanan double, single by Boals and a throwing error that went into the McCallie dugout sending Buchanan home from third.
Coach Etter then brought in Taylor Maxey in relief who retired Payne and Hennen with the tying run on third.
Baylor's win snapped McCallie's 13-game win streak.
"Elliott Dockery (McCallie starter) did not deserve to lose and we didn't deserve to win," said coach Payne.
Series Continues: Baylor hosts Game 2 Friday at 6 p.m. while Game 3 is back at McCallie Saturday at noon.
World Series Teammates: McCallie's Elliott Dockery and Matthew Brock and Baylor's Alex Armstrong played in two Dixie Youth Baseball World Series for Lookout Mountain 9-10s and 11-12s. Bryson Crimmins is also a product of the Lookout Mtn DYB program.
Armstrong to Mercer: Alex will attend Mercer in the fall and tryout for the baseball team as a walk on. He holds a 3.8 GPA in the Honors Program and is the senior class president.
Cole Songer to Bryan College: McCallie pitcher Cole Songer has committed to attend Bryan College (Dayton, Tenn.) to play baseball.
"I am looking forward to playing baseball for Bryan and the coaches told me I should see acrtion in about 15 games as a freshman."
Baylor 2, McCallie 1
Baylor 000 200 0 - 2-6-2
McCallie 000 001 0 - 1-6-0
WP - Wilson Maclellan LP - Elliott Dockery Save - Gavin Roberson
Maclellan, Maxey (5), Maclellan (6), Culpepper (6), Roberson (7) and Layne; Dockery and Burnett
HR: Hunter Holland (Baylor)
Errors: Baylor Alex Armstrong, Wilson Maclellan
Runs Left in Scoring Position: McCallie (7), Baylor (1)
Pitches: McCallie - Elliott Dockery (81)
Baylor - Wilson Maclellan (81), Taylor Maxey (6), Davis Culpepper (3), Gavin Roberson (17)
Elliott Dockery: 7 innings, 6Ks, Hits (6), Earned Runs (2)
Wilson Maclellan: 5 innings, 1K, 2 Walks, Hits (6), Earned Runs (0)
Gavin Roberson (Save): 2Ks
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net