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RUTLEDGE – Jaxon Maxey ended a marathon game between Grainger and Cherokee Monday night as the Grizzly junior had the biggest hit of the game.

With the score tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the 11th inning, Maxey singled to left field on the first pitch he saw to lift Grainger to the 5-4 walk-off win. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Grizzlies and evened their record at 7-7 on the season. Maxey had the hot hand for the Grizzlies as he went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs which included the game-winner. He and Braylnn Sell each had a double for the home team.

Brady Smith got the start on the mound and after five innings was relieved by Bryson Bennett. The dynamic duo combined to strikeout 20 Cherokee batters on the night. Smith gave up two hits, three walks and fanned 10 Chiefs and Bennett didn’t allow any hits and also struck out 10 batters in six innings to notch the win.

The Chiefs struck first with a run in the first inning and then led 2-0 in the fifth. They padded their lead with two runs in the top of the sixth to go up 4-0 but after that, the Grizzlies started to chip away at the deficit. Maxey scored in the bottom of the sixth when Kade Lucas reached on an error. Maxey worked his magic in the home half of the seventh inning when he singled on a line drive to left center that brought Connor May home. The game was tied when Smith went to left center to plate Isaiah Kyle around to make it 4-4. That was how things stood until the 11th.

In the final inning, Sell started things off with a double and was replaced with pinch runner Nolan Wallace. Bryson Davis drew a walk to put two men on board. Maxey’s key hit scored Wallace to lift the Grizzlies to the thrilling 5-4 triumph.

The Chiefs and Grizzlies get together again in Rogersville on Tuesday afternoon for game two of the series.