10-inning HVA-BHS pitchers’ tussle goes to Hawks; both out
MARYVILLE — A classic pitchers duel between a starter in blue and a maroon-clad long reliever saw their battle stay tied 2-2 for five innings midway and late into a classic 10-inning contest.
Heroics aside from the epic battle between Hardin Valley Academy starter Jax Sparks (eight innings) and Bearden reliever Evan Cope (six and one-third innings) came in the bottom of the ninth: Hawks left fielder Carter Goodwin saved the HVA season — at least temporarily — with a diving catch.
Goodwin robbed Bulldog Jonah Kohring of a game-winning RBI hit in this District 4-4A Tournament season elimination game at Coulter Grove Intermediate School, home of the Maryville Red Rebels, Sunday afternoon, May 5.
In the top of the 10th, Hardin Valley (No. 4 seed) finally broke through with five runs to win — and finally chased Cope — using a walk and singles from Colton Denton, Mason Shelton, Goodwin (two RBI) and Caleb Jinks (two RBI), plus one unearned run.
While labeling this “a great game,” HVA head coach David Dillon said Sparks “threw one of the best games I’ve ever seen a high school pitcher throw. He threw 115 pitches.”
Hawk reliever Camden Huckaby set down Bearden in order in the bottom of the 10th for a 7-2 HVA victory.
Denton’s two-RBI double in the third inning put HVA up 2-1. Caleb Neely (hit by pitch) and Jaxon Jones (single) scored.
The Bulldogs (No. 2 seed, ending 21-14) went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first on Matt Schroeffel’s RBI single, scoring Gavin Bergeron, who singled.
Bearden got a leadoff triple down the left field line by Schroeffel in the fourth to eventually tie the score 2-2 after a sacrifice fly from Brody Binko.
Cope, a junior, “had a great year. ... We know he’s got good stuff,” Bulldogs head coach Dave Prichard said, adding about his team’s season, “When you look at the big picture and how many guys we graduated last year, to come out and perform the way we did, I think you’d be hard-pressed to be displeased with that.”
Maryville 11 Hardin Valley 5
Despite Jacob Dillon’s bases clearing double plus an RBI single from Jones in a five-run HVA third versus Maryville, the Hawks (25-12) had their season ended by No. 3 seed MHS 11-5 Sunday.
