Elizabethton is once again the District 1-3A Tournament champions.
The Cyclones captured a 3-1 victory over Unicoi County in the District 1-3A tournament on Sunday afternoon at ETSU’s Thomas Stadium.
Elizabethton will host the Region 1-3A tournament next Friday and Saturday and will open the tournament against Grainger on Friday evening. Greeneville and Unicoi County will face off in the other semifinal.
On Sunday, the Cyclones had to rally after an early UC run.
The Blue Devils loaded the bases and walked a run in during the first inning, but two straight strikeouts ended the frame without further damage.
Elizabethton answered in the bottom of the second.
After JD Hooks was hit by a pitch, Justin Whitehead hit a sacrifice bunt to move the runner over to second. Hooks stole third before scoring after a Blue Devil error to tie things up at 1-1.
Elizabethton was unable to keep the inning going as the game went to the third tied at 1-1.
Neither team was able to get on the board until the bottom of the fifth.
Jack Blevins opened the frame off with a single and Evan Chambers moved the runner with a sac bunt. Marshal Holtsclaw hit a fly ball to left field, but Blevins was able to score.
Brayden Buckles pushed the lead to 3-1 later in the inning as he scored off a Bryson Rowland single.
From there, the Cyclones were able to limit Unicoi to secure the win.
Blevins finished the game 2-for-2 with a run scored, while Rowland had a hit and an RBI.
Steven Meadows added a hit. Holtsclaw added an RBI.
On the mound, Carter Reece had one unearned run on no hits with four strikeouts to power EHS to the win. Cole Krawczyk added two innings of relief work and struck out one batter and allowed just two hits.
Photos by Danny Davis
