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RUTLEDGE – Garrett Keiter threw a no-hitter and scored the winning run in extra innings as Grainger walked off Volunteer Monday night at The Den, 2-1.

The Grizzly junior confounded the Falcons all night long as he struck out 14 batters while only walking four. Even with the four base on balls, Keiter was able to escape any damage.

“That’s the Garrett we expect,” Grainger head coach Garrett Yates said of Keiter. “He had one or two games that while not rough statistically, wasn’t where he wanted it to be but these last few times out, he has really locked in and did a great job. He was able to go eight innings tonight and it was an eight where there wasn’t a ton of stress as even when he walked guys, he got out of it pretty quickly and got back in the zone.”

Gavin Hickernell was also impressive on the bump for Volunteer as he struck out 11 Grainger batters, scattered five hits and walked four. He pitched the maximum 118 pitches before being relieved in the top of the eighth inning.

“Hickernell was pitching extremely well and was hitting his spots,” Yates said while bragging on the Falcons’ pitcher. “He could throw three pitches for a strike and if you do that at the high school level, you are going to have success. He took advantage of our weaknesses and did a great job.”

Vol struck first when Grayson Dennis was hit by a pitch, stole second and came home on an error in the third inning. That was the way things stood as Grainger went into the bottom of the seventh inning trying to stay alive. Luke Wallace led things off with a single past third base. Caden Brabson went it to run for Wallace and promptly stole second base to get into scoring position. Nolan Wallace laid down a perfect bunt that moved Brabson to third and then he scored on an error to send the game to extras tied at 1-1.

Hickernell started to labor a bit to begin the bottom of the eighth inning as he walked his counterpart Keiter. Josh Walker drew a walk to move Keiter to second base and he was able to come home on a failed pickoff attempt at third as Grainger prevailed 2-1.

“I’m proud of our guys as in the seventh and eighth innings, we executed when it mattered and played a little small ball to do whatever we needed to do to win the game,” Yates said of the late-game rally to win the contest. “People doing their job was big for us today.”