Greeneville and Morristown’s 11-12-year-old All-Star teams settled in for a classic pitchers’ duel in the opening game of the district 4 Little League Tournament at Optimist Field. The contest stretched over two days after weather delays, with both teams receiving outstanding performances on the mound that kept the offenses in check. In the end, Morristown claimed a 3-1 victory to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three championship series.
Greeneville turned to Benjamin Bailey on the mound, while Morristown countered with Ketner Dearing. Both starters gave their teams every opportunity to win, each working 5 2/3 innings. Dearing earned the victory, allowing one unearned run on six hits while striking out 11 and walking two. Bailey suffered the tough-luck loss despite surrendering just three unearned runs, striking out nine and walking four.
Bailey also led Greeneville offensively, going 2-for-2 at the plate. Jase Mulhall doubled, while Kase Coleman, Cole Metzger, and Grayson Stowers each added singles. Morristown collected four hits, with Dearing, Luke Justice, Abel Ringley, and Landon Stewart recording one single apiece.
Morristown wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, scoring two unearned runs in the top of the first inning just before lightning halted play. After a lengthy delay, the game was eventually suspended and resumed the following day.
When play resumed, Bailey nearly sparked the Greeneville offense with a drive to the right-field fence. However, a favorable ricochet back to the right fielder caught Bailey too far off first base after he rounded the bag looking to stretch the hit into a double.
Greeneville cut the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the second. Metzger opened the inning with a single and later scored on Stowers’ RBI base hit.
Morristown added an insurance run in the fourth inning to extend its lead to 3-1. The visitors threatened again in the fifth after putting runners on second and third with two outs, but Bailey calmly escaped the jam by recording a strikeout to end the inning.
Greeneville made one final push in its last at-bat. Bailey drew a two-out walk, ending Dearing’s outing after he reached the 85-pitch limit. Morristown then turned to left-hander Abel Ringley, who recorded the game’s final strikeout to earn the save.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Popkin Field in Morristown. Greeneville must win to force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday, while a Morristown victory would clinch the district 4 championship and a berth in next week’s state tournament.
