CLEVELAND, Tenn. — It took top-seed Cleveland a little bit to get going, but when it did it steamrolled with back-to-back 4-spots to blow out third-seed McMinn County in the District 5-4A Championship game, Monday at Bill Talley Stadium.
After getting just two hits off the first four innings against Cherokee ace Ty Barnett, the Blue Raider bats came alive against the University of Cincinnati signee on their way to a 10-3 tally for their first district crown since 2009.
"Proud of all the Blue Raiders," proclaimed first-year CHS head coach Brent Tucker, the mastermind of the program's turnaround.
"Great crowd.
Great team effort. McMinn has such a good program and we were just able to create momentum tonight," he added. "Really cannot pick out any individual — a lot of guys found a way to help us win"
Both teams advance to the Region 3-4A Tournament this weekend at the McKenzie Baseball Complex. Cleveland (22-11) will tangle with District 6 runner-up Ooltewah (9-20), which it defeated 4-1 and 7-3 during the regular season, in the opening round.
McMinn County (20-13) will battle District 6 champ and tournament host Bradley Central (24-7). The Cherokees close close 2-1 and 3-1 tangles with their oldest rivals during the campaign.
While the region is slated for Friday and Saturday, Cleveland has graduation Friday evening and Bradley Saturday, so full game time details are yet to be worked out.
McMinn knocked four straight two-out singles in the top of the first Monday to get the party started.
Alabama signee Brooks Berry and Carson-Newman bound Mason Roderick opened the rally with Barnett driving in one and Cleveland State signee Hunter McDonald the other.
Cleveland was able to get one of the scores back in the bottom of the inning, thanks to a one-walk to Tusculum commit Cutter Womack and a single by fellow senior Jack McBrayer.
After Womack stole third, the pair worked the double steal where McBrayer got caught in a run down, while Womack raced home.
The boys from Athens got that run back quickly as senior Jace Falls opened the second with a bloop single. After Chase mcDonald bunted him to second, Luke Lawson delivered a RBI-single.
After Barnett cruised through the first three frames, a one-out walk to senior Andrew Wenger, followed by a misplayed single by River Briggs closed the gap to just one run.
The wheels completely fell off for the tough lefty in the bottom of fifth when with two outs and Evan Liner on second after a single and a sac bunt, five straight Raiders reached.
A two-out single by Womack brought in the first run, while McBrayer "walked the line" and Wenger ripped a run-scoring single.
After Briggs was "plunked" sophomore Caden Tippens brought in a pair with single to right field.
While Cherokee relief pitcher Landon Fugate was able to put out the fire, plus strike out the first two batters in the bottom of the sixth, he began to struggle as well.
Womack once again reached with a hit and swiped second before McBrayer drove him in with a single.
After a walk to Wenger, Briggs smoked the right field line for a two-run double and then scored after two straight wild pitches.
Of Cleveland's 15 base runners, Womack, McBrayer and Wenger reached base three times apiece. Womack and McBrayer each had a pair of hits and drove in a run, with the former scoring thrice and the latter twice.
Wenger had a hit and drew a pair of free passes, plated a teammate and completed the circle three times.
Briggs had a pair of RBI-hits and scored, while Tippens two-run double was the only extra-base hit of the night.
After junior starter Tyler Gardner got knocked around little, giving up six of Mc Minn's seven hits, plus their three runs, in the first two frame, Cleveland got five strong relief innings out of McBrayer and sophomore Christian Lee.
McBrayer worked the third and fourth, allow just one hit, while striking out a pair, while Lee earned the win with three no-hit shutout innings, setting down the final nine Cherokees in order.
Barnett was the only McMinn bat to deliver two hits.
Game Summary
District 5-4 Tournament Championship
Monday, May 6 at Bill Talley Stadium
McMinn County 210 000 0 — 3 7 2
Cleveland 100 144 x — 10 9 1
Barnett, Fugate (5) and H. McDonald; Gardner, McBrayer (3), Lee (5) and Tippens.
WP: Christian Lee. LP: Ty Barnett. Records: McMinn County 20-13; Cleveland 22-11.
(Contact Joe Cannon at joe.cannon@clevelandbanner.com)