Sweetwater baseball got what it hoped it would get in the regular season finale.
In a rematch of last season’s Class 2A Sectional, the host Wildcats held Pigeon Forge to three hits in a 7-0 win Friday.
Pushing five runs across in the bottom of the sixth, Sweetwater (24-6) found success from veteran bats like Kai Correll and Blaine Watson.
On the mound, it was the other end of the grade level that stood out. Freshman Bryson Burgess struck out five batters through five innings, allowing one hit to the District 2-2A regular season champion Pigeon Forge (14-8).
“He needed to pitch this week. He could throw out of the bullpen Thursday or Friday next week. He needed the work and we needed to run his pitch count up to get his arm used to that,” Sweetwater coach Travis Watson said. “He gives us a good chance. Every time he has thrown this year, we have been in every game. He has done a really good job, especially for a freshman. Just going out and eating some innings up.”
Burgess tossed 72 pitches in the win before being relieved by one-inning outings from Correll and Tucker Lorenz.
“We wanted mainly to get Bryson Burgess another start. He was the freshest guy we had and we wanted to get Kai to throw out of the bullpen,” Sweetwater coach Travis Watson said. “Deep into that district tournament, he could throw out of the bullpen. We did not want that to be his first time and he needed a little work as well.”
Correll and Watson led Sweetwater’s offense with two hits and two RBIs each. Both delivered RBI hits in the Wildcats’ sixth inning explosion to add pressure on the guests.
Lorenz singled to score Powell and move Sweetwater ahead 3-0. It became a five-run lead one pitch later when Correll doubled into left field. Watson kept the parade going with a single to score Correll.
Sweetwater was held to five hits through six innings ahead of the five-hit sixth inning.
“They are playing really well and playing hard. They got a taste of a good run last year and, with them being seniors, they want to try to go deep in their senior year. And their leadership has been really good for our team,” Watson said. “Pigeon Forge … They said they really enjoy watching them play, but they will be glad when they are gone.”
Brody Watson pushed the seventh run across later in the frame with a fielder’s choice, scoring Cade Houser.
Correll delivered a first inning triple before Watson’s sacrifice bunt pushed him across for the opening run.
Nolan Dacus’ RBI groundout scored Correll two innings later.
Defensively, Sweetwater turned two double plays to preserve the shutout against one of East Tennessee’s perennial top programs in Class 2A.
Jayden Richesin got an out before flipping to Brody Watson in the first inning. Lorenz turned a line drive into a double play in the sixth inning.
All of Sweetwater’s pitchers will be available for Thursday’s District 3-2A tournament opener where Sweetwater will host the winner of No. 5 Polk County at No. 4 Meigs County from Wednesday.
Seven Sweetwater arms have tossed more than 10 innings this season — Burgess, Correll, Cooper Davies, Lorenz, Jayden Richesin, Caleb Powell and Blaine Watson — but only three of those have extended past 10 innings in District 3-2A contests — Correll (24.2), Powell (27) and Richesin (11.1).
“You want to try to get everybody some work on the mound. That is the goal No. 1 — to keep them as fresh as you can,” Travis Watson said. “The main thing is getting everybody fresh and having everyone available next Thursday. When they have to throw everything at them, everybody has to be ready to go and all hands on deck.”
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