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Morristown West scored five times after two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning Monday night at Trojans Park to break open a close game and went on to a 10-0 pounding of cross-town rival East in the first of this year’s four-game city championship series.

Sophomore Paxton Seal was in control all the way as he tossed a four-hit shutout to pick up the mound decision over Eli Seals. The ‘Canes never had more than one runner in an inning.

Bryson Jenkins and Cody Blair swung the big sticks for the Trojans. Jenkins had three hits and knocked in four while Blair had two safeties and three runs batted in.

The Hurricanes’ Lane Grizzell had three of East’s four safeties.

It was the third win against nine losses for the Trojans who improved to 2-3 in District Two 4-A play. East fell to 2-12 for the season and is winless in five district contests.

Both coaches had praise for Seal’s one-walk, 11-stike out performance. West’s Justin Pickett said, “Paxton did a great job for us. We played good defense behind him and got him the lead early. He settled in and when we have the lead with him on the mound we’re always confident.

“He settled in early and pitched well. That was the thing for us, we came out here early and scored some runs and he threw the ball and we played defense behind him.”

“He didn’t throw a lot of pitches because he was throwing strikes,” Pickett said. “You see him out there pitching like that and you forget he’s still a young pitcher. He’s still learning the game but he’s a competitor. He’s our guy and when he’s on the mound we feel really, really good about it.”

The coach said, “We hit the ball well at times and had a couple of big hits when we really needed them.

“Now, we have to go over there tomorrow night and do it all over again.”

East coach J. D. Newsom wasn’t pleased with his team. “We didn’t have very good approaches at the plate today. We didn’t look the same as we had the last couple of games. We chased some pitches.

“Paxton pitched well and give credit to him. He’s done that the last two times he’s thrown against us. We didn’t adjust at the plate.”

Newsom went on to say, “Errors killed us again. I think five of their runs were unearned and we can’t have that. I’ve said that from the very beginning. If we had played good defense behind our pitcher we would have had an opportunity. But we did not do that today.

“I felt Eli threw the ball all right. They hit him in the first but he shut them down after that when he had a little control trouble and they scored five with two outs.

“Give credit to West. They came in with a plan and they executed it. Now, we have to bounce back tomorrow.”

The Trojans got Seal the only runs he really needed by scoring twice in the bottom of the first but didn’t take control until the fourth.

Jordan Watson led off the first for the Trojans with a hard shot to left that was misplayed and wound up going for a double. Jenkins then rapped a two-bagger down the line in left and West had the only run it needed. Jenkins moved to third on a wild pitch and scored as Riley Short grounded out.

East had a chance in the third when Grizzell’s fly to right was misplayed and wound up going for a double. However, Seal didn’t let it shake him and fanned the next two hitters to end the inning.

In the fourth, Jonah Carden laced a triple into the right field corner but the next batter popped up to the mound.

West broke it open in its half of the inning. Three walks, a hit batter, five wild pitches and singles by Jenkins and Blair paved the way for five runs as the Trojans batted around.

Jenkins’ single scored one run while Blair’s hit played two. Bryson Shepard added a sacrifice fly in the outburst.

Tison Johnson walked, stole second, went to third on a passed ball and scored on another hit by Jenkins to make it 8-0 in the fifth and a great diving catch by Carson Winstead kept the Trojans from ending it.

However, an error allowed Tayshawn Griffin to reach leading off the sixth and Blair followed with a triple. Seal ended it himself as his sacrifice fly to right scored the run that stopped the game at 10-0.

Sevier County 6, Jefferson County 3

Sevier County took control of District 2-4A on Monday evening with a 6-3 win over Jefferson County.

Beau Revord got the start for the Patriots and threw six innings.

At the plate, the Patriots’ runs came on an error that allowed Briley LaRue to score and RBI singles by Maddux Rogers and Owen Grimsley in the fifth.

Jefferson County and Sevier County will be back in action on Tuesday at Sevier County.

Lenoir City 18, Grainger 8

LENOIR CITY – Grainger took an 8-4 lead into the bottom of the fourth innings but after that, it was all Lenoir City in an 18-8 loss for the Grizzlies Monday night on the road.

The Panthers scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth and added eight more in the home half of the fifth frame. Brady Smith went yard for Grainger as did Brayden Christian. Braylnn Sell continued his offensive onslaught as he drove in three runs by going a perfect 3-fo-3 which included a double. Landon Dalton also had a two-bagger for the Grizzlies.

Grainger plays Elizabethton in the first of two contests this week when they travel to Carter County to take on the Cyclones Tuesday afternoon. The two teams will get together again at The Den on Thursday.

Softball: Tennessee High 12, Morristown East 9

Morristown East overcame a six-run deficit on Monday evening but gave up six more runs as they fell to Tennessee High.

Kylie Rader got the start in the circle for East and struck out eight.

Tennessee High scored six runs in the first three innings on Monday, but East responded in the fourth. The six runs for East came on a Hannah Hall walk with the bases loaded, a Keely Shisler walk with the bases loaded, an RBI single by Zoe Shelley, an RBI double by Jaycee Hamilton and a two-RBI double by Kaleah Davis.

However, Tennessee High scored six more runs and took the win.

East will be back in action on Tuesday as they host Sevier County. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m.

Grainger 11, Washburn 0

WASHBURN – The battle of Grainger County went to the Lady Grizzlies of Grainger High as they blanked Washburn 11-0 Monday night.

Alison Byrd picked up the win for the Lady Grizz as she had six strikeouts, two walks and two hits in four innings. McKenna Key hit a pair of doubles to finish 3-for-4 on the night. Lacy Mallicoat had three RBIs in the game for Grainger and Brooklyn Copley drove in two runs.

Grainger returns to district play on Tuesday afternoon as they travel to face Greeneville.