JOHNSON CITY – North Greene put on a better showing and played an overall better game of baseball, but still came up on the losing end of things after a 14-4 loss to University High on Friday night in the District 1-1A Tournament.
“Overall, I felt like we had a little better energy today,” North Greene Head Coach Jamey Palmer stated.
Friday’s matchup with UH was a tall task for the Huskies. After suffering a 3-0 season sweep by the combined score of 40-3, many expected University to run away and never look back. Although it did end after five innings due to the run rule, the Huskies played a competitive game through the first three innings.
Freshman Colton Cutshall took the mound in a big-time game and struggled at times, but showed promise. Through five outs, the teams were tied at 2-2, but the Huskies could not close the side and allowed six runs with two outs in the second.
“He did a great job. I kind of joked with him and told him I pulled him up from the minors so he could come and throw against one of the best teams in the state. He was a gamer. He went out there and did a great job,” Palmer said.
He received the loss on the mound after giving up nine runs in two innings.
The Huskies only had two hits and made a living off University’s four uncharacteristic errors and four walks. North Greene went three-up and three-down in the first inning and fell behind 2-0 after a two-RBI single by Daxon Letterman.
Owen Pierce drew a walk to lead off the second. Christian Cogdill reached on an error at second and Aidan Halley reached on another error to load the bases. Tyler Britton collected an RBI with a single to right field. Turner Collins scored as a courtesy runner on a double play the next at bat.
The Huskies tied it 2-2 after the top half of the second, but UH quickly went back on top. Cutshall collected his only strikeout to start the bottom and caught an infield pop up to signal two outs, but North Greene couldn’t get that last out it so desperately needed to end the inning.
Four hits, a walk, and hit-by-pitch later and the Junior Bucs scored six runs with two outs to go ahead 8-2.
In the third inning Isaac Gaby led off with a hit-by-pitch and Jake Duffy drew a walk. Gaby made a hard dash and stole third base and sprinted home when the pickoff attempt went rolling into the outfield. Duffy would also make a dash towards third and scored the same way.
The Huskies trailed 8-4, but University one upped them and scored three runs in the bottom half to take a seven-run lead. The Bucs added two in the fourth and one final run in the fifth to reach the 10-run limit.
North Greene was defeated by University 14-4 and placed them into the loser’s bracket for Saturday. It will play the winner of Unaka and Cloudland at 1:30 in an elimination game. The winner advances to the District 1-1A Championship and gains a spot in the Region 1-1A Tournament.
“Survive and advance. We’re fully staffed except for Aidan (Halley). Other than Aidan we’ve got our top three pitchers,” Palmer expressed.
Owen Pierce and Tyler Britton collected the only two hits for the Huskies.
