After getting postponed on Wednesday night, the Greeneville baseball team finally took the field on Thursday and took care of business with a quick 10-0 run-rule win over Volunteer in the District 2-3A Tournament opener.
“I think our guys were just ready to get on the baseball field after getting canceled last night,” Greeneville coach Andy Collins said.
It was worth the wait for the Greene Devils who were chomping at the bit to get out on the Diamond. A few aggressive hits and quality pitching lifted them to a fast win to propel them into Friday’s matchup with Cherokee.
Senior Carson Quillen did it all on Thursday. It was bump day for Quillen and he threw for three innings only giving up two hits while striking out five of the twelve batters he faced. At the plate he was even better. He was a perfect 3-for-3 with three extra-base hits. A no-doubt solo home run to left field was the cherry on top for his terrific night.
“I really just got a pitch middle. I was in a plus count and able to drive a ball so that’s really what I was trying to do,” Quillen explained.
Kobe Mundy also got familiar with Pioneer Park tonight as the Tusculum commit lifted a 3-run bomb to left field to help Greeneville go ahead early.
“Obviously, I’m committed here so this is my place and I’ve always felt good here. I actually seen that they were trying to throw slow and I was just trying to get on top and I ran into one,” Mundy mentioned.
The win helps Greeneville improve to 26-8 and reach one step closer to making the Region 1-3A Tournament along with the District 2-3A Championship.
Volunteer strung together their only two hits of the contest in the first inning, but Quillen left them both stranded on the corners by forcing a strikeout and pop up to end the frame.
Quillen led off with his first of three extra-base hits with a double over the left fielder’s head. Carson Norris helped him reach home plate with a sac fly. The Devils led 1-0.
The beautiful part about the final three runs of the inning was Greeneville’s patience. Will Harmon and Noah Murray both received four-pitch walks before Kobe Mundy stepped up to bat. Mundy found his pitch and drove a ball over the left field wall for a 3-run home run to send Greeneville ahead 4-0.
“He fouled one down the third base line and he made an adjustment and stayed through the ball. I’m proud of him tonight. He needed that swing,” Coach Collins bragged.
The second inning featured five more runs and started with a leadoff double from Kaine Ricker. Jeriah Griffin was hit on the foot and put two on. Quillen delivered his second double of the night and scored Ricker in the process. Griffin reached third before being held at the bag, but didn’t wait too long to score as Norris laid down an RBI-single to help score him and Quillen. Norris finished the game with three RBIs.
Maddox Bishop was next to deliver an extra-base hit and scored Norris through an RBI-triple to left field. Harmon grounded out, but managed to help Bishop score in the process. The Greene Devils led 9-0 after two.
The last run came in the bottom of the third. Quillen stepped into the batter’s box with two outs and watched three balls miss the zone. His patience paid off again as he saw a pitch come down the middle and took advantage of it. Quillen sent a no-doubt bomb onto the hill beyond left field and took his trip around the bases.
The pop and distance of his hit was enough to impress Coach Collins to compare him to current Vanderbilt shortstop Brodie Johnston. Collins, who spent the last three seasons as the Greeneville Flyboys pitching coach, expressed his admiration of that swing. “You watch different guys swing here and I’ve seen different guys swing here over the Appy League and everything like that, but I sit there and I can easily compare that to Brodie Johnston. That was Brodie Johnston-ish of him to do that.”
Carson Norris replaced Quillen on the mound for the last two innings of relief and did not allow a hit or a run.
The Greene Devils took care of Volunteer and finished with a 10-0 victory in five.
Quillen went 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs. Carson Norris delivered three RBIs on a 1-for-2 night. Kobe Mundy provided 3 RBI’s on his first inning home run.
Greeneville will play again on Friday afternoon at 5:00 against Cherokee. The loser will play Grainger immediately following. The winner advances to Saturday’s championship at noon and also receives a berth in the Region 1-3A Tournament.
