ATHENS , Tenn. -- — Securing their first district top seed since 2007, Cleveland knocked off previous league-leader McMinn County in the first two games of their District 5-4A three-game series.
After a 3-0 shutout Monday in Athens, the Blue Raiders (15-10, 7-1 District 5-4A) rallied for a 4-3 Senior Night win Tuesday evening at Bill Talley Stadium to lock up the No. 1 for the upcoming district tournament.
"Wow!" proclaimed first-year Blue Raider head coach Brent Tucker on learning of the first regular season title in 17 years.
"The players bought in quickly with different style.
Seniors jumped on board and the rest followed. We still have a long ways to go on where we want to be but tonight was a great step."
"I very proud of this team for keeping their composure after the rough start tonight," he continued. "Evan (Liner) and Tyler (Gardner) came up huge on the mound and offensively we continued to battle.
"McMinn and Coach (Matt) Ray do a great job and have a excellent program, so we new it would be a battle."
The teams will gather for the series finale Thursday, back in Athens as McMinn County (12-12, 4-4) has fallen from an unbeaten 4-0 start in the league race to the No. 3 seed after dropping two games each to the Raiders and Walker Valley.
The Mustangs (9-14, 5-3) wrapped up the second seed with back-to-back victories over district cellar-dweller Rhea County the last two nights.
Tuesday Game
RAIDERS 4
CHEROKEES 3
After falling in a quick 3-0 hole thanks to five one-out free passes and a single surrendered by the Cleveland starter, Coach Tucker went to the pen bringing in Liner before turning it over the Gardner, who earned the win by getting the final eight outs.
The duo gave just one hit apiece. with Liner allowing three "freebies," for a scoreless 6.2 innings.
After the initial Tribe out to start the contest Jason Arms walked the line, followed by the innings' only hit, a single by Alabama commit Brooks Berry.
Carson-Newman signee Mason Roderick was then"plunked" to jam the sacks, before consecutive RBI walks to Cincinnati signee Ty Barnett, Hunter McDonald and Reece Frazier.
When Liner took the pearl, he struck out the first batter and got the final out to end the rally with a ground out to second base.
The Raiders were able to start chipping away at the deficit in the bottom of the first when Tusculum commit Cutter Womack reached on a two-out infield hit, stole second and came home on a single by classmate Jack McBrayer.
Cleveland closed the gap further when senior Andrew Wenger opened the bottom of the second with a single, swiped second, moved to third on a Tribe before barely beating the throw home on a short sac fly to left field by sophomore Caden Tippens.
The hosts got runners on base in each frame, with the fifth providing the needed tao scores to pull out the win.
Senior Nolan Copeland and Womack opened the game-winning rally with back-to-back singles before McBrayer drew a free pass to load the bags.
After a fielder's choice prevented a run, sophomore Collin Stuart drew a four-ball RBI walk to even the score. Tippens followed with another sac fly to bring in McBrayer with the winning score.
Womack led the victors with pair of hits, plus he was "plunked," while Stuart, McBrayer and River Briggs each reached twice with a single and a free pass.
Berry stroked two of McMinn's safeties, with Chase McDonald stroking the other.
Monday Game
RAIDERS 3
CHEROKEES 0
Improving to 3-1 on the season and lowering his earned run average to 1.39, sophomore lefty Christian Lee struck out a half dozen and walked four in tossing 6.1 innings of three-hit shutout ball.
Despite Virginia Tech signee Mycah Jordan opening the game with a double and being bunted to third by Copeland, Cleveland went scoreless in its first three at bats before breaking through against Barnett to score twice in the third frame.
After McBrayer opened the top of the fourth with a walk and Wenger laced a single, Stuart bunted them up a base.
This time around they were able to complete the circuit when Tippens stroked his eighth double of the season to push his team-leading RBI tally to 23.
After both starters worked out of jams in the fifth frame, the Raiders capped the night's scoring in the top of the sixth after Stuart and Tippens single to open the at bat and Gardner walked to load the bases.
After a strikeout, Jordan was able to plate Stuart with a sac fly to center field.
Tippens led the Cleveland offense, going 2-for-3 with a pair of "ribbies," while Jordan helped out with his two-bagger and drew a free pass along with his RBI.
McBrayer got on base three times with walks, while Wenger also reached twice with a hit and a free pass.
After Lee shut the hosts down for six innings, he struck out the first Cherokees in the seventh before surrendering a walk.
With his pitch count at 117, Coach Tucker brought Gardner to the mound to finish it off, which he did with a back-to-back Ks after allowing a hit.
Game Summaries
District 5-4A
Tuesday, April 16
at Bill Talley Stadium
McMinn County 300 000 0 — 3 3 1
Cleveland 110 020 x — 4 7 1
Fugate, Roderick (6) and H. McDonald; Stuart, Liner (1), Gardner (5) and Tippens.
WP: Tyler Gardner. LP: Logan Fugate.
Records: McMinn County 12-12, 4-4 District 5-4A; Cleveland 15-10, 7-1 District 5-4A.
Monday, April 15
at Athens
McMinn County 000 000 0 — 0 4 0
Cleveland 000 201 0 — 3 6 1
Lee, Gardener (7) and Tippens; Barnett, Roderick (7) and H. McDonald.
WP: Christian Lee. LP: Ty Barnett.
Records: Cleveland 14-10, 6-1 District 5-4A; McMinn County 12-11, 4-3 District 5-4A.
(Email Joe Cannon at joe.cannon@clevelandbanner.com)