Tusculum – Greeneville and Anderson County opened TSSAA sectional play Wednesday evening at Eastman Credit Union Field at Pioneer Park, each looking to gain the upper hand in the quest for a return trip to the TSSAA Class 3A State Baseball Tournament.
Both teams came out swinging and pushed runs across in the opening inning, but in the end, it was Greeneville that took Game 1 with a commanding 9-1 victory over the Mavericks.
The win moved the defending state champions one step closer to defending their title while adding a pair of milestones to the program’s resume. It marked head coach Andy Collins’ 300th career victory and the team’s 37th win of the season, surpassing the previous school record for most wins in a season.
Despite the accomplishment, the message in Greeneville’s postgame huddle was clear: the job is not done.
Coach Collins stressed the importance of maintaining focus heading into Game 2.
“These kids nowadays have so many distractions in their lives, especially seniors as they come to the end,” Collins said. “That’s a tough thing about baseball being played at the end of the year. They just have to stay focused if they want to.”
Greeneville left-hander Will Harmon got the start and delivered another stellar outing. The senior limited Anderson County to five hits and one run that was scored in the top of the first inning while striking out seven, walking one, and hitting one batter in a complete-game effort.
“Honestly, I felt like we came out the most prepared that we had all year,” Harmon said. “On the mound, I think I prepared well, although I had a rough first inning.”
Sam Thompson led Greeneville’s 11-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with three singles and two RBIs. Kase Spradlen added a 2-for-2 performance that included a triple, while Harmon drove in two with a home run and Tegan Begley added a double.
Anderson County struck first in the top of the opening frame.
Nolan Benson greeted Harmon with a fly ball to right that sailed just over the outstretched glove of Begley for a leadoff double. Daniel Unthank followed with a sacrifice bunt, but Benson beat the throw to leave runners at the corners. Blake Love then worked a walk to load the bases with nobody out.
Harmon responded with a strikeout before Wil Ridenour reached on an infield single to plate Benson for a 1-0 lead. Greeneville escaped further damage when Harmon induced Clay Fletcher to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The Greene Devils answered immediately in the bottom half.
Maddox Bishop ripped a single down the left-field line but was erased at second on Kaine Ricker’s fielder’s choice. Begley followed with a one-out double to right-center, putting runners at second and third.
After Harmon popped out for the second out, a hit batter loaded the bases for Thompson, who punched a ground ball through the hole between short and third for an infield single. Ricker scored easily, and Begley never hesitated on the two-out contact, racing home for a 2-1 Greeneville advantage.
Harmon credited his teammates for the quick response.
“That was huge,” Harmon said. “Scoring runs in the first inning, I think, is one of the things we do best. We always come out to attack, and we come out to win the inning. We go inning by inning instead of looking at the whole game.”
Greeneville added to the lead in the second.
Jaxon Winter opened the inning with a single to right-center and came around to score when Bishop dropped down a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt. The throw sailed past first and into right field, allowing Bishop to reach third.
Fletcher retired the next two batters and appeared poised to escape, but Harmon had other ideas. The senior launched an 0-1 fastball over the right-field wall to extend the lead to 5-1.
“Honestly, I’ve had a few rough at-bats,” Harmon admitted. “I’ve been popping the ball up a lot, so I stepped right on the white line and made outside pitches become inside. I saw an inside fastball, swung as hard as I could, and got lucky.”
The Greene Devils stretched the margin to 6-1 in the third when Winter’s fielder’s choice scored Spradlen, who had led off the inning with a triple.
Greeneville kept the pressure on in the fourth.
Ricker singled to center and Begley worked a walk to open the inning. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position before another wild pitch brought Ricker home and advanced Begley to third. Grayson Crosby then lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Begley and make it 8-1.
Anderson County threatened in the sixth when Love blooped a one-out single to right and Jeremiah Owens reached on an infield error. Harmon settled in, though, recording a strikeout and groundout to strand both runners.
The Greene Devils added one final insurance run in the bottom half.
Thompson singled for his third hit of the day and moved to third on an errant pickoff throw. Spradlen worked his second walk, and pinch-hitter Jack Lister ripped a single to center to plate Thompson for the final 9-1 margin.
Game 2 is set for Thursday at 4:30 p.m. A Greeneville win would send the Greene Devils to the state tournament for the fourth consecutive season.
For Anderson County to return to Middle Tennessee, the Mavericks must win Thursday’s opener and force the if-necessary game scheduled for 7 p.m.
