Bryan Morgado
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
Kentrail Davis and Cody Hawn combined for eight RBI to lead the White team to a 9-2 victory over the Orange team on Saturday afternoon at Robert M. Lindsay Field at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The White team evened up the seven-game series at 2-2 with its win in the fourth game of the Tennessee baseball Orange & White World Series.
Tennessee head coach Todd Raleigh thinks the close series will increase the intensity in the last three games.
“When you are playing seven games you hope it gets tight,” Raleigh said. “It’s good, I think it is going to make it more competitive because now it’s really a best two-out-of-three series. It gets the kids focused on tomorrow, which should be a good matchup on the mound.”
First pitch for Sunday’s game five of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. A pair of right-handed juniors will face off as the White team’s Aaron Tullo pitches against Stephen McCray of the Orange team.
The White team rallied behind strong pitching from starter Bryan Morgado Saturday and two big offensive innings, scoring four runs in the first and five runs in the sixth. Morgado threw four innings, allowing no runs on only two hits. The sophomore faced 15 batters, striking out two and walking one.
“I thought we played really well except for the two big innings,” Raleigh said. “I thought both teams brought those innings on themselves. I think both times the bases went loaded without a ball leaving the infield, and then there was a grand slam and a bases-loaded, three-RBI double. We pitched a lot of young guys today and I think the youth showed, but I was pleased with it.”
Hawn gave the White team a 4-0 first-inning lead when he hit a grand slam to right field. Mike Hornsby, Josh Liles, and Davis all scored after reaching on an error, fielder’s choice and a hit-by-pitch, respectively. Hawn finished the day 2-for-4 with five RBI and a walk.
The White team added another run in the top of the fifth inning as Alan Shuford scored on Liles’ bases-loaded walk, extending its lead to 5-0.
The fifth inning continued as the White team loaded the bases again, but this time it was Davis’ turn to drive in the runs. The centerfielder drove in three runs when he doubled off the wall in deep centerfield, scoring Liles, Hornsby and Osborne to make the score 8-0.
Hawn drove in the White team’s final run of the game with a single to right field that scored Davis from second. The White team scored five runs on two hits in the inning, increasing its lead to 9-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
The Orange team looked to chip away at the White lead, scoring single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, second baseman Cody Grishman scored from second on an infield error, making the score 9-1.
Cody Brown then homered to left field in the bottom of the sixth to reduce the Orange team’s deficit to 9-2.
The Orange team threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning, putting runners at first and second with one out. Freshman left-hander Adam Adkins put a stop to the rally, forcing Tyler Horne to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning. Adkins threw two innings for the White, allowing one run on three hits.
Seniors Ryne Simpson and Danny Wiltz each threw one scoreless inning to close out the game for the White team. Freshman Will Locante also saw action out of the White team bullpen.
Junior Jeff Lockwood was saddled with the loss for the Orange team after surrendering four runs on three hits in two innings of work. The Knoxville native walked three while striking out two. Freshman Clayton Gant threw 2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, giving up four unearned runs. Freshman Josh Allman and senior Jonathan Rapavi combined to throw the last 4 1/3 innings for the Orange team.
