Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Murphy base runner Adam Cook encounters the immovable object that is Hayesville third baseman Dawson Devane after Double D took a sizzling throw from Chance Hughes and tagged the Bulldog out. Hayesville shortstop Tate Roberts, No. 11, confirms the umpire's call.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Hayesville repeated as Smoky Mountain Conference Baseball Champion by blasting Murphy, 17-5, Tuesday.
The stragulating smack down gave the Yellow Jackets a sparkling 11-0 conference record and top billing over Swain County (10-2).
That 11th SMC win also allowed Hayesville to wear the crown even though the Black-and-Gold fell to the Bulldogs, 3-2, in the regular-season finale Thursday.
The Yellow Jackets staked their claim to title Tuesday with a nine-run first inning, a seven spot in the third, 16 hits total, and 10-of-10 stealing.
“We played well in the first game,” Hayesville Coach Joe Jack Sellers said.
Jackson Sellers was Hayesville’s top dynamiter. Action Jackson exploded for three hits, including a double, and four RBIs and muzzled the Bulldogs with four strikeouts, one hit allowed, and zero earned runs in three innings on the hill.
Chance Hughes and Kyle Shaheen were also gold. Hughes drilled three hits and drove home two teammates. Shaheen scored three times, cracked two hits and swiped two bases.
Cooper Matheson, who drew three walks, also touched home three times.
Michael Mauney and Tate Roberts both scored two runs.
Hayesville’s eruption of offense was bolstered by eight walks and four errors by Murphy.
Murphy 200 21 = 5
Hayesville 907 1 = 17
Hits: Hughes 3, Sellers 3, Shaheen 2, Boyer, Caruso, Matheson, Mauney
Doubles: Sellers
RBI: Sellers 4, Hughes 2, Boyer, Caruso, Devane, Matheson, Mauney, Roberts, Shaheen
Runs: Matheson 3, Shaheen 3, Mauney 2, Roberts 2, Boyer, Caruso, Cheeks, Cody, Hughes
Stolen bases: Mauney 2, Shaheen 2, Cody, Devane, Matheson, Roberts, Sellers
Base on balls: Matheson 3, Shaheen 2, Boyer, Mauney, Roberts
Hit by pitch: Mauney
Murphy 3, Hayesville 2
The Yellow Jackets (12-8 overall, 11-1 SMC) came within a whisker of concluding SMC play with a perfect record, but the spotless mark vanished because Hayesville left 14 on base.
“We never had momentum,” Sellers remarked.
Hayesville bats were uncharacteristically quiet, but the Jackets still put the tying and winning run aboard in both the fourth and seventh innings.
The lack of firepower wasted a superb pitching performance by Kendall Boyer, who fanned six and allowed just three hits.
“He came in and did great,” Sellers said.
The Clay County boys only managed three hits, but Murphy gifted the visitors five walks and four errors.
Hayesville seemed certain to pull off a dramatic win when Hughes opened the final inning by legging out an infield grounder.
Just as quickly, things turned bleak when Murphy hurler Colton Morgan fanned the next two batters.
Hayesville wasn’t finished. Mauney drew a base on balls and Ben Bethel smashed a worm burner that handcuffed the second baseman and scored Hughes to cut the lead to 3-2. Next, Sellers ripped an 0-1 pitch down the right field line but the ball went foul. The rally, and the game, ended with a foul out behind the plate.
Hayesville also heard opportunity knocking in the fourth inning when Bethel singled and Murphy starter Alex Roldan issued back-to-back walks to Sellers and Shaheen with zero outs. Roberts’ fielder’s choice pushed home Bethel with Hayesville’s first run and knocked Roldan out of the game. Sellers scored the Jackets’ second run during Boyer’s at bat, which ended with another walk. That turned out to be the last hurrah. Morgan struck out the next two batters.
Hayesville 000 100 1 = 2
Murphy 030 000 x = 3
Hits: Bethel, Mauney, Shaheen
RBI: Roberts
Runs: Bethel, Hughes
Sac: Roberts
Stolen bases: Hughes, Roberts, Sellers
Base on balls: Sellers 2, Boyer, Mauney, Shaheen