Case Collins Strikes Out 12 To Lead Cookeville To 3-1 Win At Warren County

By Michael Lindsay

The Cookeville Cavaliers (14-4, 3-0) opened the week in the win column on Monday as they took game one at Warren County in District 6-4A action, 3-1.

Senior pitcher Case Collins went the distance in the win, striking out 12 batters while allowing 3 hits and 0 walks on 98 pitches in the win.

“Case Collins was nothing short of a phenomenal,” said Cookeville head coach Derek Bush. ” He was perfect through 4 innings and he had a no-hitter going into the sixth. He worked a good 3-pitch mix and kept them off balance. He has a heater that was running up in the upper 80s and probably touching 90 (mph).”

Cookeville struck first in the top of the third inning as Griffin Templeton led off the inning with a solo home run to give his team a 1-0 lead. Landen Severance and Easton Davidson tacked on to the Cavalier lead in the top of the fourth with a pair of singles to make the score 3-0 through 4 innings.

Warren County threatened in the bottom of the seventh as a Corban Felton single scored Ryder Gillispie to make the score 3-1 with the tying run at the plate, but Collins shut the door with a strikeout to seal his team’s 3-1 win.

The Cavaliers and Pioneers are back in action for game two of their district series on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Cookeville High School.

“It sets us up in a good spot,” said Bush. “If we can take care of business tomorrow, we’re in the driver’s seat. But Warren County is a gritty team. Coach (Phillip) King does a great job with those guys, and they’re going to find ways to stay in a ball game. They’re 16-4 so there’s no secret that they’re a good team, too.”