Moundsmen blank Braves twice

By Gary Corsair Sports Editor Hayesville is riding a four-game winning streak after blanking Cherokee twice last week. The pair of victories placed the Yellow Jackets atop the Smoky Mountain Conference with a 4-0 record with Swain and Murphy next on the schedule. Hayesville silenced the Braves with power pitching, perfect base stealing and stellar fielding in both victories. “Our staples so far this year, starting pitching and defense, comes through again,” Coach Joe Jack Sellers said. Timely hitting and perfect base stealing also factored into the winning streak but Sellers sees room for improvement at the plate. “I was hoping this week I would see more consistence with the lineup at the plate but that is still alluding us,” Sellers said. “We are punching runs across in spurts. We may need to shake things up and see what happens with the bats going forward. We will see.” Hayesville sought to continue its winning ways at Swain County on Tuesday. A rematch scheduled for Friday has been rescheduled. Hayesville 7, Cherokee 0 The Braves put up a better fight in the rematch in Cherokee on Friday, but Brady Reynolds struck out 11 in going the distance to hang a goose egg on the hosts. Brad’s biggest supporter was Adrian Fuentes, who smacked two doubles in two at bats, scored three runs, drove in a run and pilfered a base. The Yellow Jackets cracked eight hits, drew seven walks and stole eight bases in as many tries. Hayesville’s biggest innings were two runs in the second and two more in the sixth. Micah Moss drove in two runs, Peyton McGaha swiped 3-of-3 bases and second baseman Jacob Cody had four assists. Hayesville 10, Cherokee 0 Jackson Sellers pitched his second consecutive no-hitter and Hayesville ripped 13 hits in four innings when the Yellow Jackets socked Cherokee, 10-0, last Tuesday at Scott D. Penland Field. Action Jackson struck out five Braves in the first two innings, totaled 10 Ks and continued his torrid batting with two hits in three at bats. Ben Bethel also continued his abuse of opposing hurlers. Double B cracked three hits in three at bats, doubled, scored twice, knocked in a run and stole a base. Bethel’s first-inning double brought home McGaha with the first run. Rob Barter, Rhett Sellers and Reynolds also crossed the plate to produce a 4-0 lead, which was more than enough cushion for the Smoky Mountain Conference’s best hurler. Hayesville’s fireworks were even louder in the second inning, which began with Moss being hit by a pitch, hustling from first to third when a Cherokee outfielder nonchalantly retrieved McGaha’s single and scoring with McGaha on Barter’s two-out rip. Four singles in a row by Bethel, Jackson Sellers, Reynolds and Fuentes, coupled with a pair of walks allowed the Jackets to put up a 6-spot. Sellers’ mound mastery was a thing of beauty, but the Hayesville defense also drew cheers on two outstanding plays – Barter gunning down a would-be base stealer who walked in the second inning and Reynolds slapping the game-ending tag on a runner who tried to advance on a strikeout.