Stayin’ Alive at The Ballpark
Ads end the season of two rivals, assured of a Region berth after romping Bearden then slipping past HVA
It was the rubber match Monday night, May 5, between longtime baseball rivals Farragut High School and Bearden at The Ballpark at Farragut. And the stakes were high.
After splitting their two games in the regular season, the 4-4A District Tournament’s top two seeds met Monday to see who would stay alive. The losers would conclude their season.
Victory to the Admirals, and it wasn’t close.
FHS combined strong hitting with a pitching gem by starter/staff ace Cole Draper to cruise to a 10-0 run-ruled, six-inning win.
“Any time you get to keep playing it’s a good day,” Admirals skipper Garrett Copeland said. “I thought our guys did a great job staying in the strike zone and not chasing pitches.”
“Draper did really well,” Bulldogs’ head coach Dave Prichard said. “I think Farragut maybe hasn’t seen that Draper all year, but he showed up tonight.”
Draper went the distance, striking out four while walking none. The only other baserunner beside Logan Benko, who singled leading off the fifth, was Sammy Greene, who was hit by a pitch leading off the third.
“Feels great,” Draper said. “To be able to run-rule and give up just one hit, great way to roll over to the next game.”
The two runs FHS’s bats gave Draper in the second inning would be all he would need.
Among the FHS highlights on offense: Braxton Tye clubbed a two-run homer plus an RBI single; Jackson Zeller added a single and a run. RBI singles also came from Zain Kureshi-Smith and Aidan Flagg. Braden Humphrey added a sacrifice fly.
When Farragut High School’s baseball team survived an elimination game against Bearden in the 4-4A District Tournament Monday night, May 5, at The Ballpark at Farragut, it still wasn’t safe.
The top-seeded Ads then had to win another elimination game — this time against rival and No. 3 seed Hardin Valley Academy a mere 30 minutes later — for a spot in the Regional 2-4A Tournament and the right to play Maryville for the District championship.
Mission accomplished for the Ads in a hard-fought 3-1 victory.
Farragut played the MHS Red Rebels last night, Tuesday, May 6, needing two wins to claim the tourney title (after deadline) . The Ads will play either Oak Ridge or Powell in the region semifinal.
“This team, they compete every singe day and come ready to work every single day and let the results take care of themselves,” FHS head coach Garrett Copeland said.
“Making plays, that’s what it came down to,” Aaron Simmons, HVA head coach, said. “We had our moments; they made some good plays as well.”
FHS took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Neyland Williams led off with a double, went to third on Braxton Tye’s grounder and scored when Travis Brummit, Jr. reached on an error.
In the bottom of the second, Owen Stelzer made it 2-0 with a leadoff home run, a monster shot over the left field wall.
The Hawks’ lone run came in the top of the third. Neels Schoonbee led off with a walk, went to second on a grounder and scored on Jaxon Jones’ single.
Farragut made it 3-1 in the bottom half of the inning when pinch runner Eli Tittle, running for Jake Harris who had walked, scored on an error.
A potentially game-changing play occurred in HVA’s top of the fourth. With runners on first and second and one out, left-hander Aiden Murphy hit a line shot up the middle. Shortstop Stelzer, cheating toward second, stabbed the ball and touched second base for a double play, ending the threat.
“That double play was big,” Simmons said.
Senior righthander Connell Driver went five innings for the Admirals, giving up three hits and one walk. He struck out three. Cole Draper, who shut down Bearden in the first game, pitched the final two innings.
“That’s exactly what we needed from Connell,” Copeland said. “That’s what we expect from him.”
