The 4-3 victory over McMinn County pushes the Blue Raiders’ record to 11-7 overall and 4-5 in district play. The two teams will complete the home-and-home series this evening at Raider Field. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.
Trailing 3-2 going into their last at bat, coach Ted Carson’s team was able to get a couple of baserunners before Hiddleson brought them around with a ringing double.
After Hiddleson’s heroics, Murray capped off a four-hit, complete-game pitching effort by setting the Cherokees down in order in the bottom of the seventh.
“Derek pitched a good game for us,” coach Carson praised. “He kept them off balance the entire game.”
After McMinn County (7-9, 3-4) scored a run in the bottom of the first, Cleveland took its first lead of the game when Robert Parr and Reed Allison each stroked run-scoring hits in the top of the fifth.
The Cherokees answered with a pair of runs of their own in the bottom half of the fifth to retake the advantage, setting up the need for Hiddleson’s game-winner.
Adam Taylor was 2-for-3 with a double to help out the six-hit Raider offensive production.
RAIDERS 4, CHEROKEES 3
Cleveland 000 020 2 — 4 6 2
McMinn County 100 020 0 — 3 4 3
WP: Derek Murray 7 IP, 11 Ks, 2 BB, 4 H. LP: Josh Howard. 2B: Caleb Hiddleson, Adam Taylor (C) RBI: Hiddleson 2, Robert Parr, Reed Allison (C). Records: Cleveland 11-7, 4-5 District 5-AAA; McMinn County 7-9, 3-4 District 5-AAA.
