By Michael Lindsay
Following a rainout on Thursday, the Cookeville Cavaliers improved to 12-5 overall Friday afternoon as they defeated the White County Warriors 11-1 in 5 innings.
Senior pitcher Sam Snyder went the distance for Cookeville as he surrendered 5 hits and only one run with no walks in the victory.
“Sam has been the most steady and reliable pitcher I have on the staff,” said Cookeville head coach Derek Bush. “I know what I’m going to get out of him.”
Right fielder Ty Harrison led the Cavaliers at the dish as he went 2-3 with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, 3 runs scored and a stolen base. First baseman Jack Roberts also drove in 3 runs as he went 2-3 with 2 stolen bases.
After a scoreless first inning, Cookeville plated two runs in bottoms of the second and third innings via singles by Easton Davidson and Harrison along with a Tyler Smith sacrifice fly to lead 4-0 entering the fourth.
“It took us a long time to get going,” said Bush. “We were taking bad swings in positive counts and we weren’t playing with intensity.”
White County responded in the top of the fourth inning as an Austin Pionke single scored Kason Seal to make the score 4-1 midway through the fourth inning.
Cookeville went to work with two outs in the bottom of the frame as a Harrison double and Roberts single drove in 3 runs to give the Cavs a 7-1 advantage.
The Cavaliers closed out the game with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to win by an 11-1 final score.
Cookeville is back in action Saturday evening as they travel to Rockvale.
“Rockvale is a really good opponent,” said Bush. “If we don’t play well, they can put it on us. Next week is huge for us; if we can take care of business, we’re in the driver’s seat in the district.”
