Raiders defeat Wildcats early in season

Clemons praises team for their fight

By T. Wampler, JPI Sports

 

The Hart County Raiders are off to a 6-4 start including an early season 8-7 walk off victory over the Edmonson County Wildcats. Coach Brandon Clemons continues to grow the HCHS baseball program and the Raiders already have 2 wins in District 18 this season.

It was senior Zachary Sloan that provided the dramatic hit in the bottom of the 7th inning, but he had a lot of help from his teammates. HCHS trailed 7-5 at the start of the inning. After the game, Coach Clemons said he had been trying all ballgame to put pressure on the Wildcat defense. The Raiders finally started answering the call earlier in the game when they came back from a 6-1 deficit.

But it was in the 7th that Celmons’ plan really showed. Gage Owens singled to start the rally. Wyatt Chaney laid down a nice bunt that led to a Wildcat error. Maddox Gower was hit by a pitch loading the bases. Cayman Martin bunted on a squeeze play and that caused another ECHS error scoring a run.

With the bases still loaded, Austin Martin drew a walk, tying the game at 7-7 and setting the stage for Sloan. Sloan wasted no time attacking the second pitch and knocking the clutch single for the Raiders’ 8-7 victory.

Sloan, Gower, Owens, Cayman Martin, and Zak Wilson each had a hit for HCHS. Sloan, Martin, and Gower each had an RBI. Austin Martin had 2 RBIs. Brayden Minor got the start for the Raiders and picked up the win. Minor went 4 innings, allowing only 1 earned run on 3 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Minor proved he has some excellent pitches with a powerful fastball and nice breaking pitch.

Coach Clemons worked his staff to perfection bringing in Ethan Booher in the 5th. Booher went 3 innings allowing 1 earned run on 3 hits with 3 walks and 8 strikeouts. Booher also showed a nice mix of pitches with some heat to go with his arsenal.

The Raiders had 2 bad innings where errors led to 5 unearned runs, but this was early in the season on a Saturday afternoon. “We gotta back our pitchers up,” Coach Clemons told the team after the game. “We have to do a better job behind our guys, but in the 7th inning, when we needed baserunners, we did our job. We executed team baseball.”

Clemons said in a postgame interview, that he had learned over the last 4 years, that when they struggle to hit the baseball, “We have to play small ball.”

Clemons said they were near the bottom of their lineup to start the 7th inning and he knew if they were going to win, they had to “get some bunts down.” He said the Raiders had been on the “other end of that (teams putting pressure on their defense) and it felt good to be on the winning side.”

“Hats off to our younger guys coming in and making plays when they have too,” the coach said.

Clemons was also pleased with both pitchers and the effort and performance of Minor and Booher. “They know until our hitting comes around, we have to dominate on the mound,” concluded Clemons. “Early, we didn’t make plays, but both of them continued to throw well. This team understands we have to fight.”

More about the Raiders with comments about the team from Coach Clemons will be in a future edition of the HCNH and the Spring Sport Specials.