Patriots pull away for win over Morristown East
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Morristown East didn’t have an error in the first three innings Monday night at Sherwood Park and went into the fourth frame in a 1-1 tie with Jefferson County.
However, the winless Hurricanes had committed six in the final four and the Patriots poured across 14 runs to capture a 15-1 victory.
The victory was the fourth against three losses for the Patriots who are now 2-1 in District 2-4A play. The ‘Canes slipped to 0-5 in their league opener and will journey to Jefferson County today.
Briley LaRue pitched the first six innings to notch the mound decision over Eli Seals. LaRue allowed only two hits while walking two and striking out seven. Adam Grace worked the final inning on the mound.
Seals didn’t pitch badly. He allowed just one earned run in his 4.3 innings while giving up three hits, three bases on balls and striking out five. Carson Winstead, Lane Grizzell, Ethan O’Dowd and Connor Southard also pitched for the ‘Canes.
Tennessee commit Beau Revord swung the big stick for the Patriots as he collected there hits and knocked in five. LaRue and Maddux Rogers added two safeties apiece for the winners. Revord and LaRue had doubles while Rogers banged a triple off the screen in left-center field.
The Hurricanes had only four hits with Southard getting two of those. Grizzell and Nathan Hardin had the other hits for East.
Jefferson Coach Zach Reese said, “I thought LaRue threw the ball much better than the last time he pitched. We played good defense and hit the ball pretty well at times.
“Beau has been swinging the bat well for us and did it again today,” he added. “He’ll pitch for us tomorrow. I just wanted to get him the extra day of rest is the reason he didn’t go today on the mound.”
He added, “Briley threw pretty well but needs to work on the breaking ball. He might be able to get by this team with just a fastball but he can’t do that against everybody we play.”
East head man J. D. Newsom said, “We started the game off well enough and I thought Eli pitched really well.
“In the fourth inning, the wheels kind of came off,” he said. “We made errors, gave up walks in the last few innings that got us in trouble and we’re not the kind of team that can give teams extra outs and survive.
“We’ve got to step up and play like we can play,” Newsom added. “We have to play behind one another and not give away outs. It’s just that simple, you have to make the routine plays.”
The Patriots struck in the top of the first when Owen Grimsley was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on Revord’s opposite-field double to left.
East got even in the second inning when Brice Epps and Jonah Carden walked to start the rally. After a strike out, Grizzell singled up the middle to load the bases. Southard’s sacrifice fly to center scored the run.
Seals walked two in the second but escaped when shortstop Isaac Greene turned a double play and a grounder up the middle.
However, the Patriots grabbed the lead in the fourth when a walk and two East errors allowed a run to score.
The visitors added three in the fifth on two more Hurricane errors and hits by Revord and Landon Thomas.
Leading 5-1, the Patriots scored five times on just two hits in the sixth with those being singled by LaRue and Rogers.
Five more runs scored in the seventh when the Patriots banged out five hits with Revord’s two-run single the big blow.
East threatened in the bottom of the seventh when it had two hits for the only time in the contest but Grace got out of it without giving up a run.
Softball: Powell 17, Morristown East 11
Morristown East gave up eight runs before getting on the board on Monday night, but it was too little too late.
The Lady ‘Canes were led in the game by Ella Wampler with three hits and three RBIs, while Adasia Davis, Hudson Cloninger and Keely Shisler each had two hits and two RBIs.
Kylie Rader got the start in the circle and struck out six.
Morristown East will be back in action on Thursday, hosting Morristown West. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.

