ATHENS, Tenn. — With the season on the line, Walker Valley brought back ace Titus Torbett on short rest and the move paid off as the big lefty struck out eight and didn't walk a batter in a complete-game victory over McMinn County in the District 5-4A semifinals, Monday in Athens.
“What more can you say about that guy? Just special, special, special kid,” proclaimed Mustang head wrangler Wes Anderson of his prize Stallion's effort in the 3-1 victory. The Maryville College signee is now 7-2 on the season with an 0.82 ERA and a .909 WHIP.
Torbett has struck out 108 and giving up just 16 free passes in 66 innings of work.
With the win, Walker Valley (16-17) advances to play top-seeded Cleveland (24-8) in the District 5-4A title game, Tuesday evening at 6 at Bill Talley Stadium, while the Cherokees wrap up the campaign with an 18-13 record.
MUSTANGS 3, CHEROKEES 1: All Walker Valley needed offensively was a little help from the McMinn arm to put up all its runs in the top first.
Loading the bases with a McMinn error, single and walk, the Mustangs plated three with a base on balls and a hit batter followed by a squeeze bunt.
After leadoff man Owen Sneed reached on a Tribe miscue, Brody Ownby bunted him up a base. Torbett helped his own cause with a single to put runners on the corners before back-to-back walks to Cleveland State signee Jordan Smith and freshman Zander Neuendorf brought in the first score.
Micah Stone then "took one for the team" to bring in another run before Tyce Knouse dropped down a "squeeze" bunt to bring in Smith with what turned out to be the final Herd score of the night.
With that three-run lead backing him, Torbett took the mound and went to work, holding the hosts to four hits, while facing only 26 batters in a 90-pitch (67 for strikes) performance.
Torbett allowed just two baserunners over the game’s first five innings, sitting the ‘Kees down in order in the first, third and fourth innings. Only a single in both the second and fifth innings did any relative damage on the basepaths, but Torbett escaped each time.
The Walker Valley bats were cold in this time, too, but already doing its damage in the first bought them the time.
McMinn finally found the scoreboard against with a one-out double by Luke Lawson, a missed fielder's choice opportunity after a bunt and a RBI-sacrifice fly by Drake Frazier in the bottom of the sixth.
In the game's final at bat, Torbett allowed a leadoff single to Kade Hyde, but struck out the tying runner at the plate twice, before inducing a game-ending fly out for the win.
Helping himself out in the box, Torbett went 2-for-3 with a walk on the day. Sneed and Neuendorf had a hit apiece, while Torbett, Smith, Neuendorf, Knouse and Milligan signee Michael Pledge worked a walk.
GAME SUMMARY
District 5-4A
Semifinal
Monday, May 5
at Athens
Walker Valley 300 000 0 — 3 4 0
McMinn County 000 001 0 — 1 4 1
WP: Titus Torbett 7 IP, 8 Ks, 0 BB, 4 hits, 0 ER. LP: Bo Barnett 1.0 IP, 0 Ks, 3 BB, 1 hit, 2 ER. RBI: Neuendorf, Stone, Knouse (WV); Drake Frazier (MC). RECORDS: Walker Valley 16-17; McMinn County 18-13.