S

After starting 1-3 in their first four games, the Red Raider baseball team rattled off two close victories in Manchester to improve to 3-3.

March 10 Vs Stewarts Creek

In the Monday home opener at Powers Field, the Red Raiders took the lead in the bottom of the third inning and never looked back for a 4-3 victory.

The visiting Red Hawks caused some trouble early on with Coleman Neas sending a fly ball to right field in the game’s first at-bat to put Stewarts Creek up 1-0 in the top of the first inning.

Coffee County would answer promptly in the bottom of the first inning with Colter Neel launching a two-run home run bomb to right field to give Coffee County the lead, 2-1.

Stewarts Creek continued to wreak havoc in the top of the second, scoring on a fly out to center field to knot the score at 2-2 and then reaching home again after loading the bases up and drawing a walk to retake the lead 3-2. The Red Hawks drew a total of four walks in the top half of the second.

The Red Raiders didn’t respond until the bottom of the third inning, but it wouldn’t be with a swing of the bat. The Red Hawks walked five straight Coffee County batters to hand the Red Raiders a 4-3 lead, and the score wouldn’t change for the next three and a half innings.

Starting pitcher Cole Pippenger finished strong after a shaky start, pitching a total of six innings and striking out 11 batters through 99 pitches in his second start of the season. Leiton Yancer pitched one inning in relief.

Stewarts Creek: 120 000 0 – 3 4 1

Coffee County: 202 000 X – 4 4 1

Coffee County: Cole Pippenger 0-for-3, Trevor Jesse 1-for-2, Landon Abellana 0-for-2, Colter Neel 1-for-2, Blake Hillis 0-for-2, Elijah Vernon 0-for-2, Matt Moore 0-for-3, Davis McKenzie 2-for-3, Grayson Sadler 0-for-2.

HR: Colter Neel 1

RBI: Colter Neel 2, Blake Hillis 1, Elijah Vernon 1

SB: Grayson Sadler 2, Davis McKenzie 1

WP: Cole Pippenger

March 11 Vs Rockvale

In their second home game in as many nights, the Red Raiders walked off a 6-5 win over Rockvale in another nail-biter of a baseball game.

The win for Coffee County was bookended by two important hits from senior Colter Neel.

Neel’s first hit, a fly ball single to center field, sent Trevor Jesse home to put Coffee County up 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning.

The Red Raiders piled on to their lead with three runs in the bottom of the second inning, one of which came from a fielding error by Rockvale.

Rockvale may have been down early, but they were not out. The Rockets scored three runs over the next two innings to bring the score within a run, then scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to take 5-4 lead.

Coffee County responded quickly in the bottom half of the sixth, tying the score up at 5-5 with Matt Moore running home on a single by Leiton Yancer.

Yancer took over on the pitcher’s mound to start the top of the seventh inning after starter Isiah Deadman pitched five innings and Kasen Shores pitched one inning in relief. Yancer proceeded to throw seven strikes in eight pitches, and the Red Raiders grabbed three quick outs to create an opportunity for the offense.

Colter Neel would be the one to take that opportunity, smashing his second hit of the night and his third home run hit in four games to seal Coffee County’s third straight win.

Rockvale: 002 102 0 – 5 8 1

Coffee County: 130 001 1 – 6 8 3

Coffee County: Cole Pippenger 1-for-3, Trevor Jesse 0-for-2, Leiton Yancer 0-for-1, Landon Abellana 0-for-3, Colter Neel 2-for-4, Blake Hillis 1-for-3, Kylan Jones 0-for-3, Matt Moore 2-for-2, Davis McKenzie 0-for-3, Kasen Morrisson 2-for-2.

HR: Colter Neel 1

RBI: Colter Neel 2, Cole Pippenger 1, Trevor Jesse 1, Leiton Yancer 1

2B: Cole Pippenger 1, Kasen Morrison 1

SB: Davis McKenzie 1, Trevor Jesse 1

WP: Leiton Yancer

The Red Raiders will stay in Manchester for their next game against Loretto, which is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m.