Bobcats on three-game win streak
Published 3:21 pm Thursday, April 4, 2019
After starting the season 0-4, the Bell County Bobcats have won three-straight games. The Bobcats defeated the Barbourville Tigers 6-5 on Tuesday and then defeated Campbell County, Tenn. on Wednesday, 5-4. Both games were played at Bell County High School.
The first inning of Wednesday’s match-up flew by as both teams quickly retired the opposition. Bell County got things going in the second inning, driving in three of their five total runs.
After closing out the first inning and the top of the second from the mound, pitcher Antonio Zachary got things going for Bell County with a single. He then stole second and third on an errant throw toward center field by Campbell’s catcher.
With Zachary on third, J.M. Baker hit a line drive that wasn’t fielded cleanly, allowing Zachery to score. Baker was thrown out at first, but the Bobcats were on the board leading 1-0.
Hunter Clark stepped into the box and delivered a single toward shortstop, making it to first base cleanly. He then stole second base after an errant throw. Cole Hoskins then delivered a single toward center field, bringing Clark home to increase the Bobcat lead to 2-0.
Bobcat speedster London Stephney stepped in to pinch run for Hoskins and stole second base immediately. With Stephney in scoring position, Ethan Brock delivered a single on a line drive, allowing Stephney to round home, bringing the score to 3-0 in favor of the Bobcats.
Campbell County drove in their first run on a sac-fly after a fielding error by Bell County allowed a Cougar batter to steal third from first. The next two Campbell County batters would fly-out. Alex Mayes was walked first in the bottom of the third inning.
With a runner on base, Bell County was unable to capitalize on the sticks in the third with the score sitting at 3-1. With two outs in the top of the fourth inning, a Campbell County batter drove in a run on a line drive, bringing the score to 3-2 in favor of the Bobcats.
The Bobcats were quickly retired by the Cougars in the bottom of the fourth, with the first three batters being thrown or caught out.
The Bobcats caught a quick out on a fly ball to right field to open the fifth inning before a fielding error allowed the Cougars to get a runner in scoring position. With two outs on the board, Campbell County drove in a run, tying the game at 3-3.
The Bobcats brought in Clark to close the game out. Allowing only one hit and one-run, Clark shut down the Cougars in the final two innings, allowing the Bobcats to score two more runs and secure a 5-4 victory, their third in a row.
Zachary pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed four hits, three runs, one earned run, three walks and four strikeouts on 79 pitches. He was credited with the win.
Clark pitched 2 1/3 innings and allowed one hit, one run, zero earned runs, zero walks and four strikeouts. The Bobcats totaled six hits and five runs on 26 at-bats. They stole four bases on four attempts. Mayes led the way on offense with two hits and two RBI. He was walked twice and stole a base.