Cleveland coach Ted Carson graciously accepted Lookout Valley coach David Dinger’s request to host games at Cleveland and the Raiders promptly dispatched the Yellow Jackets 3-1 in the first game of the Mountain Valley Classic Friday afternoon. Cleveland followed up its first win with a 10-2 victory over the Greenbrier Bobcats.
"It was a good game. Jeb came out and did a good job on the mound," said Raiders' coach Ted Carson said of Saturday 12-2, five inning victory over Franklin. "We have been putting some hits together and had timely hits tonight. I'm proud of our kids. Hopefully, we can get a good string going and get on a good roll before the district tournament starts."
Cleveland continued Saturday afternoon hosting the Rebels of Franklin County. The Raiders wasted little time putting runs on the board in the bottom of the first. Robert Parr walked and scored on a Franklin County error and Derek Murray crossed the plate to make it 2-0 when designated hitter Jesse Jones drilled a shot to the gap in right-center field.
The Rebels answered in the top of the second. Franklin's first hit of the game was a towering shot by John Tiederman that cleared the left-field fence to make it 2-1.
The bottom of the frame turned out to be a good one for Cleveland. Two runs scored on a Franklin County error to put the Raiders on top 4-1. With two outs, Jones' second hit of the game, a homer over the left-center field fence scored Murray who had earlier reached on another Rebel miscue.
As good as the bottom of the second was for the Raiders the top of the third started off as a coach' s nightmare.
Starting pitcher Jeb Scoggins hit the first batter of the inning and gave up two singles to load the bases before walking the next hitter giving the Rebels an easy run. Scoggins came back to fan the next two hitters and got a groundball to second killing the Franklin County threat and preserving a 6-2 Cleveland lead.
The Blue Raiders got the run back in their half of the inning when Jake Moats walked and scored on a Parr double to left-center.
Cleveland put its next two runs on the board in the fifth on singles by Reed Allison and Scoggins. Both runners scored courtesy of the Rebels' fourth error to make it 9-2. After walking the first three batters he faced to load the bases, Franklin County reliever John Tiedeman walked Tyler Shugart who picked up an easy RBI. A wild pitch scored Jones. Jake Moats stepped in the box and put an end to the evening with a single to make the final score 12-2.
"We have had a good run of hits for the tournament. I told them last night it has been the best I've seen them as far as taking pitches, being patient at the plate and getting pitches to hit. They did that today. They had lots of patience and waited for that pitch instead of swinging early in the count and not getting their pitch," Carson said.
The Blue Raiders wrap up their tournament appearance with a trip to Grundy County today to face Stone Memorial at 11 a.m.
Saturday
BLUE RAIDERS 12, REBELS 2
Franklin County 011 000 — 2 5 4
Cleveland 241 005 — 12 8 0
WP: Jeb Scoggins. LP: Nathan Hamer. HR: Jesse Jones (C); John Tierdeman (FC). 3B: Jones (C). 2B: Robert Parr (C); Martin Hill (FC). Other highlights: Scoggins 2-4, Parr 2-4, Jones 2-3, Reed Allison 2-3 (C); Martin Hill 2-3 (FC). Records: Cleveland 18-12.
———
Friday
BLUE RAIDERS 3, LOOKOUT VALLEY 1
Lookout Valley 100 000 0 — 1 7 2
Cleveland 101 010 x — 3 6 0
WP: Dylan Humble (4-2). LP: Hayden Turner. 2B: Jeb Scoggins, Derek Murray, Tyler Shugart (C); Cory McKaig, Carson Bethune (LV). Other Highlights: Murray 2-3, Shugart 1-2 (C); McKaig 2-3 (LV). Records: Lookout Valley 15-12.
———
BLUE RAIDERS 10, BOBCATS 2
Cleveland 332 11 — 10 12 2
Greenbrier 200 00 — 2 3 1
WP: Jake Wyrick (3-2). LP: Dalton Corley. 3B: Jeb Scoggins (C). 2B: Robert Parr 2, Scoggins, Derek Murray, Jesse Jones, Conor Hale (C); Chris Holbert (G). Other Highlights Scoggins 3-3, Parr 3-4. Murray 2-4, Hale 3-4.
