BRISTOL, Tenn. – Virginia High left Tennessee High’s Tod Houston Field with a win Thursday night, but both the Bearcats and the Vikings figured they got what they wanted out of the game.
Dakota Katelouzos’ line single in the top of the eighth inning – his third hit of the game – scored Anthony McCoy with the winning run, and Virginia High held on for a 7-6 win against Tennessee High.
The Bearcats are 2-0. The Vikings dropped to 4-6.
Virginia High coach Mark Daniels is eager to get his young team some experience, and he liked the poise he saw from his Bearcats on Thursday, especially after the Vikings rallied to tie the game with five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“I told these young kids that Tennessee High wasn’t going to quit,” Daniels said. “But I liked the way we battled when we could have folded the tent. We made some plays we had to make, and our 9-hole hitter [Katelouzos] had the best night of all.
“It’s been a long offseason for us, but it’s been a productive one. Our guys are focused. So far, they’re doing a tremendous job.”
Tennessee High coach Gil Payne was saying the same thing about his club after the game. With an important home game against Big Nine Conference unbeaten Daniel Boone looming on Monday, Payne was pleased that his hitters continued to be productive, particularly against Virginia High’s top pitcher. The Vikings have scored 50 runs in their last four games.
“We came out here with the idea of getting ready for next week,” Payne said. “I think we’re ready [for Monday’s game]. I like where we are right now. We tore up two conference teams earlier this week. We faced [Virginia High’s] best pitching, and we put 10 hits on them. That makes me feel better about our tough schedule next week.”
Through the first six innings, the hitting edge clearly belonged to the Bearcats.
Catcher Clint Chafin led off the second inning with a blast over the left-field fence. Katelouzos led off a five-run fifth inning with a single, and McCoy capped it with a three-run home run to center field.
That appeared to be more than enough run support for Virginia High starter Jared Tate, who gave up just a run and two hits in five innings, and reliever Dylan Sullins. But Tennessee High exploded with one out in the seventh with five runs off Sullins and Josh Paolucci to tie the game. The Vikings took advantage of five hits, a hit batter and three Virginia High errors to complete the comeback.
McCoy led off the top of the eighth with a walk, moved to second after reliever John Krebs threw wildly on a pickoff play, stole third and then scored on Katelouzos’ line single to right field. The right-handed-hitting Katelouzos hit all three of his singles to the opposite field.
“I was just looking to get my bat on the ball the last time up,” Katelouzos said. “Krebs throws the ball hard. He supplied all my power. I was just trying to get the bat on the ball.”
Tennessee High didn’t go quietly in its half of the ninth. With two out, Jarrod Payne lined a single to left center Krebs chopped a single to the left of pitcher Tyler Arndt. But Stephen Mullins bounced out to Arndt to end the game.
“Them throwing their top guys at us will make us a better team last week,” Payne said. “We swung the bats good late. We put ourselves in a position to win.”
Katelouzos said he was glad to be able to deliver when his team needed him: “I wanted to pick up the team. That’s my job. We showed we could come back.”
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