Bison Bounce Devils In State Semifinals

SMYRNA — Greeneville was unable to repeat as Class 3A baseball state champions after Station Camp beat the odds and knocked off the Greene Devils twice in the state semifinals on Thursday at Smyrna High School.

Greeneville needed just one win to advance to the state championship game but the Bison limited the Devils’ bats in a 5-1 win in game one and outlasted the Devils 7-4 in the ‘if necessary’ game.

“It’s kind of hard to put in words,” Greeneville coach Andy Collins said. “I’m super proud of these guys. I think to win this, and I’m not putting down any other sport, but I think this sport is the hardest to win a state championship. There’s so many factors that go into it and we were one of four teams left. I’m super proud of our guys and our seniors.”

The senior core of Colton Richards, Corbin Cannon, Eli House, Jayden Deeble and Martin Hayes were instrumental in not just the state tournament or playoffs, but every game this year, both on the field and in the dugout.

“Again, it’s hard to put into words. But I think we played some teams throughout the year and in this tournament that I think are great,” Collins said. “To get a chance to see the best right in your division is what the younger guys should take away and motivate them to work harder. And again, I can’t say enough about the five seniors. They did it last year and that’s what makes it hard because they were trying to get back to it.

“I think anybody who has a mind at all is sitting there going, ‘Greeneville is one of the best teams in the state.’ That’s because of those seniors.”

After dropping game one, the Devils tried to regain momentum for the second game and were successful at the start.

After the Bison opened game two with two runs in the first inning on an RBI double and an RBI single, the Devils responded with a run via a Kaine Ricker sacrifice fly.

Station Camp, though, pushed across three runs in the second for a 5-1 lead.

The Devils cut it to 5-2 in the bottom of the second when Carson Quillen hit a hard line drive that the shortstop couldn’t field cleanly and Quillen beat the throw to first to drive in a run.

Richards pulled Greeneville within 5-3 in the fourth with a two-out RBI double to left field and Cannon cut it to 5-4 in the fifth with a two-out RBI double to center.

The Bison pulled away again, though, with two runs in the sixth.

Greeneville managed just two singles over the final two innings, ending its season at 26-14.

Randen Fillers drew the start on the mound for Greeneville and took the loss. In four innings, he gave up eight hits, five runs, walked two and struck out six.

Sam Thompson pitched two-plus innings of relief for the Devils. He gave up three hits, two runs (one earned), walked one and struck out two.

With a runner on second and no outs in the seventh, Grayson Crosby relieved Thompson and sat down three straight to end the inning.

Greeneville finished with seven hits. Quillen was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Noah Murray was 2-for-3, and Richards, Cannon and Ricker each had a hit and an RBI.

Despite losing a core of seniors, the Devils still have talent to make it back to Murfreesboro next year. They will return Quillen, Will Harmon and a slew of other young arms on the mound, and several strong hitters.

“Just digest what we’ve been through,” Collins said on what the Devils need to do in the offseason. “I really think that you take what you’ve done and you go off to travel ball. I’m not knocking travel ball. Travel ball has its place, but I think you go off and you fine tune your craft and then you come back in August or September.”

GAME ONE Station Camp 5 Greeneville 1

In the opening game Thursday night, the Devils fell behind after committing two errors in the opening inning that led to two Station Camp runs.

The Bison were able to keep the Devils offense in check long enough to add three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-0 lead.

The Devils finally pushed a run across in the fifth. With two runners on and two out, Cannon hit a hard ground ball and beat the throw to first, driving in a run to make it 5-1.

Greeneville had five hits from five batters. Ricker hit a double and Maddox Bishop, Kobe Mundy, Harmon and Cannon each had a single.

Carson Norris drew the start for Greeneville and took the loss. In 3 2/3 innings, he gave up six hits, five runs (three earned), walked two and struck out none.

Cannon, Jaxon Winter and Crosby combined for 3 1/3 innings of relief, three hits, three walks and one strikeout.