CAK goes back-to-back
Pharr racks up 8th head-coaching state crown
After a huge seventh-inning effort, overjoyed Christian Academy of Knoxville baseball players celebrate a Division II-A state crown.
The day ended with Loyd and the rest of the Warriors hoisting the Division II-A state championship plaque in Middle Tennessee State University’s Reese Smith Jr. Stadium.
However, CAK (34-12) wouldn’t have won its second consecutive state championship without Loyd’s late-game efforts on the mound and at the plate.
“It was just something that had to be done,” Loyd said after his RBI single to left field — capping a rally started after two outs, none on-base in the seventh inning — netted the Warriors a 6-5 victory over Tipton-Rosemark Academy in the state title game Thursday, May 24. “It had to be done. Somebody had to do it. So I did it.
“We had to do this for our seniors. They’ve worked so hard and they deserve this,” he added. “I really can’t explain my emotions right now.”
After delivering at the plate, Loyd hurled a perfect bottom-of-the-seventh inning — two innings of relief — to slam the door on the Rebels, who reached the midstate as the fourth-seeded team from West Tennessee.
Jacob Tate, Spartans junior designated hitter named a Division II-A Mr. Baseball state finalist, sparked the late rally with a two-out single to left field.
“He was pitching me outside the whole game, so I was trying to hit something back-side and get something started for my team,” Tate, a lefthanded hitter, said.
Jesse Osborne was hit-by-pitch, moving pinch-runner Luke Harms to second base before scoring on Loyd’s single.
Tipton-Rosemark made the state semifinals after dispatching Webb in the Division II-A State VII in Knoxville May 16.
Loyd, who picked up the win on a hot late afternoon, started the morning game against the Rebels (30-17).
He tossed a two-hit complete game as the Warriors notched a five-inning 10-0 victory to force the deciding afternoon game.
Loyd threw just 59 pitches in the morning tilt. He also had two hits.
Coming out of the loser’s bracket after falling to the Rebels 3-1 in second round action Wednesday, May 23, the Warriors darted out to a 3-0 lead in the early game Thursday before blowing things open — six runs in the fourth frame.
Zane Keener went 2-for-3 with three runs, a double and an RBI. Tate went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run. He drove in three. Connor Jurek doubled and scored. He walked twice and knocked in a pair of runs.
CAK got off to a fast start in the deciding game, jumping ahead 4-0 in the top of the first inning without benefit of a hit.
Peyton Ryan, Tipton-Rosemark starting pitcher, went just 1/3 of an inning. He walked three and hit a batter in the opening frame before giving way to reliever Zach Seward, who finished the game for the Rebels.
Keener walked to lead off the game and went to second when Garrett Breeden reached on a fielder’s choice where no out was recorded. Tate struck out before Ryan plunked Osborne to load the bases.
Loyd and Cole Campbell drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks. Loyd would score on a wild pitch. Andrew Kribbs drove in the final run of the inning when he drew a free pass from Seward with the bases loaded.
The Warriors took a 5-0 lead when Keener blasted a solo home run over the right-field fence to lead off the top of the second.
But the Rebels rallied.
“They’re a scrappy club and (head coach) Brad (Smith) does a great job with them,” said CAK head coach Tommy Pharr, who won his eighth TSSAA state title — his third at CAK.
Tipton-Rosemark clawed its way back into the game, scoring twice in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-run double by shortstop Andrew Green.
The Rebels pulled even in the fifth with a two-RBI triple and a throwing error plating one more.
“I knew that when we gave up four runs in the first and another in the second, things were going to be tough,” Smith said. “I knew that we were going to have to hold them off the board for the rest of the game.
“And we almost did.”
