D-B edges Cherokee in Tribe Classic

KINGSPORT — Dobyns-Bennett’s Tegan Begley singled to score Maddox Martin in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Indians to a 5-4 win over the Chiefs on Saturday at J. Fred Johnson Stadium.

Martin led off the seventh with a double to left field. Graham Irvin put down a sacrifice bunt to move Martin to third, and Begley singled him in for the game-winner. It was D-B’s second walk-off win of the day. Mason Kerkhoff had doubled to drive in Jaylen Thomas to lift the Tribe to an 8-7 win over William Byrd in Saturday’s first Tribe Classic contest.

Cherokee had tied the game up in the top of the seventh. Trailing 4-2, Clay Wagoner drew a one-out walk and moved to second when Cole Putnal was hit by a pitch. Courtesy runner Mason Emery (in for Putnal) and Wagoner executed the double steal with Keaton Lawson at bat. Lawson then singled on a line drive to center field, a play that resulted in both runs crossing the plate.

Lawson was 2 for 3 with two RBIS to lead Cherokee. Putnal also went 2 for 3 for the Chiefs, who managed just five hits in the game despite putting the bat on the ball. Gage Adkins was 1 for 2 with an RBI.

D-B’s Bradley Anderson picked up the win in relief of starter Baker Correll.

Adkins took the loss for Cherokee. He went 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Noah Hunter finished the game, throwing 2 2/3 innings in relief. He gave up one run on four hits with no walks and two strikeouts.

HOW THEY SCORED

D-B took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI-single by Will Ritz.

Cherokee tied the score at 1-1 in the fourth when Lawson led off with a double and came around to score on a groundout by Adkins.

D-B retook the lead in the home half of the fourth. A walk, a Ritz single and a hit batter loaded the bases for Kerkhoff who flew out to left field to give D-B the 2-1 lead. Ritz came around to score on a passed ball that ricocheted off the deep backstop, and another fly ball to right field put the Tribe in front 4-1.

Cherokee answered in the sixth when Putnal led off with a single, Lawson was hit by a pitch and Parker Travis drew a walk to load the bases. Manning Brooks was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to pick up an RBI and cut the lead to 4-2 with the bases still loaded. But D-B got an infield fly and a ground out to end the inning and the threat.

LOOKING AHEAD

Cherokee has a pair of District 2-3A contests at The Reservation to start the week — against Greeneville on Monday, April 15, and Claiborne on Tuesday, April 16. They’ll travel to Knox Halls for a nonconference battle on Wednesday, April 17 before returning home for the Greene Fling.