S

The Coffee County Red Raiders took part in the Southern Warrior Classic hosted by Riverdale High School on Thursday and Friday, splitting two lopsided contests against teams from Illinois.

March 27 Vs Mundelein

In their first game of the tournament at Siegel High School, the Red Raiders squared off against the Mundelein Mustangs from Mundelein, IL.

The Mustangs made Murfreesboro their home away from home, rattling off 10 runs on ten hits with five of those runs being scored in the third inning.

Coffee County managed only two hits in the loss; a single by Cole Pippenger in the top of the fourth inning and a double by Elijah Vernon in the top of the fifth.

The last time the Red Raiders were held scoreless was March 19, 2024 at Blackman, a game in which the Red Raiders fell 2-0.

COF: 000 00x x – 0 2 2

MUN: 215 2xx x – 10 10 0

Coffee County: Cole Pippenger 1-for-2, Matt Moore 0-for-2, Blake Hillis 0-for-2, Landon Abellana 0-for-1, Davis McKenzie 0-for-2, Elijah Vernon 1-for-2, Kasen Morrison 0-for-2, Trevor Jesse 0-for-1.

2B: Elijah Vernon 1

SB: Cole Pippenger 1

Starter: Leiton Yancer (2.2IP, 8H, 8R, 8ER, 3BB, 1K)

March 28 Vs Central Catholic

The Red Raiders’ second and final game of the tournament would be contested at Wilson Central high school against the Central Catholic Saints out of Bloomington, IL.

Coffee County flew right out of the gates at the start, soaring to a 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning with two runs being scored on Boone Floyd’s first double of the season.

The Saints got on the board with two runs in the bottom half of the first inning, but the Red Raiders erupted with eight runs in the top of the third to push their lead to double digits. Blake Hillis, Davis McKenzie and Kylan Jones batted in two scores apiece with single hits.

Central Catholic could manage only one more trip to home plate in the bottom half of the third, and the Raiders tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth on Landon Abellana’s seventh double of the year to win 16-3 in a five-inning mercy rule.

Pitcher Davis McKenzie picked up his third win as a starter and his fourth overall win of the season after pitching for three innings. Isaiah Deadman pitched two innings in relief.

With the victory over Central Catholic, the Red Raiders improved their season record to 10-5.

COF: 608 02x x – 16 9 1

CENT: 201 00x x – 3 5 1

Coffee County: Cole Pippenger 0-for-2, Matt Moore 0-for-2, Ethan McKenzie 0-for-1, Blake Hillis 2-for-3, Landon Abellana 2-for-2, Davis McKenzie 1-for-4, Elijah Vernon 1-for-2, Isaiah Deadman 0-for-3, Boone Floyd 2-for-3, Kylan Jones 1-for-1.

RBI: Blake Hillis 3, Landon Abellana 3, Davis McKenzie 2, Boone Floyd 2, Kylan Jones 2, Matt Moore 1, Elijah Vernon 1, Isaiah Deadman 1.

2B: Boone Floyd 1, Landon Abellan 1

SB: Boone Floyd 1, Blake Hillis 1, Cole Pippenger 1, Davis McKenzie 1, Isaiah Deadman 1, Kylan Jones 1.

WP: Davis McKenzie (3.0IP, 3H, 3R, 2ER, 2 BB, 5K)

Up Next: The Red Raiders are scheduled to return to their home grounds of Powers Field for the first of back-to-back games against Shelbyville Central on Monday, March 31 and Coffee County will travel to Shelbyville on Tuesday, April 1. Both games are slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch.