CHARLESTON, Tenn. — Needing a win to help get the taste of a winless Spring Break week out of their mouths, Walker Valley's baseball squad bounced back to even their record with a shutout of Red Bank Tuesday evening, at Mike Turner Field.
The Mustangs (4-4) burst out of the gate with a trio of wins two weeks ago before dropping all four games at the Gulf Coast Classic, but got back on track with a 3-0 win over the Lions.
"Good to get back into the win column," stated Herd head coach Wes Anderson.
"We didn’t perform up to our standard at Gulf Shores at all, but we came out tonight and played the brand of baseball that we need to be successful."
Walker Valley will be back on its home diamond for the annual Joe Adams Classic Thursday at 4 p.m. against McCallie and Friday at 5 against Combine Academy (N.C.).
On Saturday the Herd will travel to the McKenzie Baseball Complex at Bradley Central for a noon battle with Rabun Gap (Ga.).
MUSTANGS 3, LIONS 0: Walker Valley got a combined two-hit shutout pitching performance from Maryville College signee Titus Torbett and junior Asher Panni.
Torbett (1-1, 1.87 ERA, 0.93 WHIP) went the first four frames for the victory, striking out eight Lions, while giving up just one hit and a walk.
Panni fired the final three innings, with a trio of Ks, a hit, walk and hit batsman allowed for the save.
Despite being held to just four hits, the Herd offense produced a solo scores in the second, third and fifth innings.
Sophomore Cason Cunningham drove home the first run with a two-out to plate Cleveland State signee Jordan Smith, who had reached on a Lion error.
Sophomore Owen Sneed accounted for the second WV score with one-out single in the bottom of the third, moved to second on a walk, third on a balk and came home after back-to-back two-out free passes. Torbett picked up the RBI as he "walked the line."
The final Walker Valley run came when Torbett reached on a one-out error, putting him on second base. His courtesy runner, senior Cooper Henry, advanced to third on a wild pitch and came around to score when Smith drove a single up the middle.
GAME SUMMARY
Tuesday, March 18
at Mike Turner Field
Red Bank 000 000 0 — 0 2 2
Walker Valley 011 010 x — 3 4 1
WP: Titus Torbett (1-1, 1.87 ERA) 4 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 8 Ks, 1 BB. LP: Alvarez 3.2 IP, 5 Ks, 3 hits, 1 ER, 5 BB, 1 HBP. Save: Asher Panni (S1, 0.00) 3 IP, 3 Ks, 1 hit, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP. 2B: Alvarez (RB). RBI: Torbett, Jordan Smith, Cason Cunningham (WV). SB: Cooper Cantrell 2, Cunningham (WV). MUSTANG HIGHLIGHTS: Owen Sneed 1-1, BB, run; Torbett 1-3, BB, RBI; Smith 1-3, RBI, run; Cunningham 1-3, RBI; Michael Pledge 2 BB. RECORDS: Red Bank 8-5; Walker Valley 4-4.