The McCallie Blue Tornado honored Baylor Red Raiders’ longtime Head Coach Gene Etter prior to the first meeting of the season between the two rivals, but it was Etter’s Red Red Raiders who came away victorious.
Etter recently announced that this will be his final season as head coach, and his team rewarded him with a convincing 17-1 victory at McCallie against the reigning state champions to begin a three game series and open Division II Class AA play for both teams.
“Everything went right for us,” Etter said. “Their pitchers were struggling … they are much better than that.”
McCallie starting pitcher Drew Vaughn began the game by striking out Baylor left fielder Gunnar Ricketts, but it was all Red Raiders from there. Sterling Stewert hit a double to the gap in left field before the Blue Tornado intentionally walked Hunter Holland to bring up cleanup man Hunter Mercer. Mercer was hit by the first pitch he saw leading to a bases loaded opportunity for Trey Catanzaro. The first baseman delivered a single to give Baylor the lead. The Red Raiders never let up.
Baylor scored one more in the half inning to take an early 2-0 lead and followed with a six run second inning to blow open an eight run lead over McCallie.
Vaughn began the second inning the same way he started the first but was pulled after Keaton Baker reached on an error and Gunnar Ricketts walked following the strikeout. Carson McKoon took the mound for the Blue Tornado to face Sterling Stewart and try to keep McCallie within striking distance, but his first pitch was wild and allowed the runners to advance. Stewart grounded out but knocked in a run to extend the Baylor lead. McKoon hit the next batter and then balked to advance the runners.
Baylor would go on to score six runs before another pitching change took place with two outs in the inning. Walker Fannon came in to pitch and got senior Will Jumper to ground out and end the half inning.
“We have a lot of arms, and there’s no need to continue to watch someone who’s maybe not on the top of their game, but that did not work out for us,” McCallie Head Coach Greg Payne said of pulling Vaughn.
Baylor continued to score and Wilson Maclellan held the defending state champions to one run in his four innings on the mound and added two RBI, but Maclellan kept a level head following the game.
“The key to the game was focusing on the team and trying to get the win,” Maclellan said. “It was a big game since it was our first region game and it was against McCallie. Throwing strikes was the most important thing.”
The blowout was unexpected by both coaches, but Payne wasn’t worried about what it means for the season.
“We got run ruled in the first region game we played last year,” Payne said. “It’s just one game. It’s a long season. We’ll put that one behind us and move on. The only way it effects us is if we let it.”
Before the game, McCallie paid tribute to Etter who will be retiring following the season. They honored the longtime coach with a plaque and brought out coaches who have led McCallie during Etter’s tenure to present the gift.
The gesture brought tears to Etter’s eyes.
“It was great. I thought that was an amazing idea to bring all of the coaches I coached against out … I had no idea it was coming,” Etter said.
The win kept Baylor undefeated on the season and gave them their fourth victory on the season. McCallie fell to 3-3.The two teams meet again on Saturday for a double header.
LINESCORE
Baylor – 2 6 2 5 2 – 17
McCallie – 0 0 0 1 0 – 1
(E-mail Mark Pace at MarkEPace@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @THEMarkPace)