Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville outfielder Kendall Boyer, No. 4, checks the cutoff man and prepares to throw after gathering a long fly ball against Andrews.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Ice-cold bats that doomed Hayesville’s diamond men to defeat in its first three games turned white-hot last week and produced a three-game win streak.
Hayesville has been hotter than microwave coffee, hitting .406, stealing 33 bases, without being caught, and averaging nearly 12 runs in lopsided victories over Andrews and Towns County.
The dramatic turnabout begs the question, “How did the Yellow Jackets improve their batting average from .204 to .314 in three games?”
“Extra work, going back to some basics with our swing,” Hayesville Coach Joe Jack Sellers answered. “Focusing on hitting back up with middle and right side, keeping front shoulder closed so head don’t fly out.”
Hayesville’s third conquest of the week was an 8-1 victory at Andrews that improved the Yellow Jackets Smoky Mountain Conference record to 2-0.
Hayesville rapped eight hits and made the most of the safeties with 11 steals without being caught.
That was more than enough production for mound master Jackson Sellers, who spun a one-hitter with five strikeouts allowed just one run over four innings and reliever Cade Caurso, who whiffed five and gave up two hits in three scoreless frames.
Michael Mauney, who batted .800 during the win streak, led the victors with four steals and three runs.
Ben Bethel, who hit .875 over the last three games, also had two hits. He also scored two runs and drove in a pair.
Kyle Shaheen cracked a two-run double. Chance Hughes also had a two-bagger. Adrian Fuentes also doubled and came around to score, in addition to socking a line drive that had extra bases written all over it before an outfielder made a running catch.
A five-run third inning broke a 1-1 tie and decided the outcome.
The offensive explosion began when Adrian Fuentes drew a base on balls. Back-to-back-to-back singles by Mauney, Bethel and Tate Roberts followed. Next, Shaheen socked a double. An error and wild pitch kept the drive alive. Dawson Devane then walked and Caruso delivered an RBI-single to put the game out of reach, 6-1.
The Jackets have a double date with Hiwassee Dam – in Hayesville on Tuesday and Friday at Hiwassee Dam.
Hayesville 1-0-5 2-0-0 0 = 8
Andrews 1-0-0 0-0-0 0 = 1
Runs: Mauney 3, Bethel 2, Fuentes, Hughes, Shaheen
RBI: Shaheen 2, Bethel 2, Roberts
Hits: Bethel 2, Mauney 2, Caruso, Fuentes, Hughes, Shaheen
Doubles: Fuentes, Hughes, Shaheen
Steals: Mauney 4, Bethel, Caruso, Cody, Devane, Hughes, Roberts, Shaheen
Walks: Roberts 2, Devane
HBP: Barter
Sac: Bethel, Shaheen
Hayesville 16,
Towns County 6
The Yellow Jackets avenged an earlier loss to Towns County in a large way by batting .435, pounding 10 hits, capitalizing on 14 free passes — 11 walks, three hit batters — and stealing 12 bases in 12 attempts in a runaway victory at home on Wednesday.
Mauney had another big game, cracking a double and 3 singles, driving home 2 runs, scoring twice and making 4 putouts in the field.
Winning pitcher Tate Roberts helped himself by stealing 3 bases, scoring 3 runs, slapping a hit and recording an RBI. On the mound, Roberts allowed just 1 run and struck out 2 in 2 1/3 innings.
Relief pitcher Kendall Boyer, who struck out 7 and surrendered 4 hits and 2 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings, also aided his cause. Boyer went 2-for-2 at the plate, drove in 3 runs, scored 3 times and swiped a base.
Bethel also had a multiple hit game, going 2-of-3 at the plate, 2-of-2 stealing bases, scoring twice and knocking in a pair of runs.
Shaheen turned a pair of walks into 2 steals and 2 runs, while Devane drove in 2 runs,
Towns County 4-0-0 1-1-0 = 6
Hayesville 7-2-2 1-2-2 = 16
Runs: Boyer 3, Roberts 3, Bethel 2, Mauney 2, Shaheen 2, Caruso, Devane, Hughes, Sellers
RBI: Boyer 3, Bethel 2, Devane 2, Mauney 2, Caruso, Roberts, Sellers
Hits: Bethel 2, Devane
Doubles: Bethel, Mauney
Steals: Roberts 3, Mauney 2, Sellers 2, Shaheen 2, Bethel, Boyer
Walks: Caruso 3, Shaheen 2, Boyer, Bethel, Devane, Hughes, Roberts, Sellers
HBP: Roberts 2, Cheeks
Sac: Bethel, Boyer, Sellers
Hayesville 11, Andrews 1
The Yellow Jackets scored in every inning Tuesday, hit .533, stole 10-of-10 bases and only struck out 3 times in support of Shaheen, who yielded 3 hits, fanned 4 and handcuffed the Wildcats on just 53 pitches in 4 innings.
Mauney again drove the bus from the leadoff position, stealing 4 bases, scoring 3 runs, slapping 2 hits, driving in a pair of runs and turning 2 double plays.
Bethel’s bat also boomed. He cracked 3 hits in 3 at bats, drove in 3 runs and scored once.
Andrews 0-1-0 0-0 = 1
Hayesville 1-3-2 3-2 = 11
Runs: Mauney 3, Bethel 2, Devane, Fuentes, Hughes, Matheson, Shaheen
RBI: Bethel 2, Shaheen 2, Roberts
Hits: Bethel 2, Mauney 2, Caruso, Devane, Fuentes, Hughes, Shaheen
Doubles: Shaheen
Steals: Mauney 4, Bethel Caruso, Cody, Devane, Hughes, Roberts, Shaheen
Walks: Roberts 2, Devane
HBP: Barter
Sac: Bethel, Shaheen