By Erik Harris
CLAY – Etowah outhit host Clay-Chalkville in a 6-1 decision Friday night.
The Cougar bats were only able to manage three hits to the visitors’ seven, and didn’t reach their first base runner until the fourth inning when Tyler Duke found first via walk.
Duke was sent across shortly thereafter on a Jeremy Rhodes single that triggered a throwing error by the Blue Devils. That run sent Clay-Chalkville into the fifth inning trailing 3-1.
“We had our chances in the middle innings,” said Clay-Chalkville head coach Bubba Roberts. “We had runners at third with one out and we just couldn’t get a hit or couldn’t get a bunt down when we needed it.”
Etowah, on the other hand, applied offensive pressure from the start. After reaching their first two runners of the game on walks, Devin Freeman sent them home with a double down the left field chalk to claim a 2-0 lead early.
That lead grew two frames later when pitcher Eli Dunn scored Paul Ruiz on a sacrifice fly to center.
Those three early runs would be more than enough for Dunn to get the win. He went the distance on the mound, striking out eight batters with three hits allowed and an unearned run.
“I think that was their best guy,” Roberts said. “He was mid 80s with a good slider that kept us off balance, especially early.”
Dayne Edwards got the start for the Cougars. The righty held the opposition to three runs while striking out two and walking four. Edwards handed the ball over to Colton Friday with no outs and runners on the corners in the top half of the seventh.
Friday was unable to escape the jam unharmed. A sacrifice fly, a throwing error and a balk gave Clay-Chalkville a 6-1 deficit to deal with in its final plate appearance.
Blake Petty and Edwards both reached in the Cougar half of the seventh, but neither got back around to the plate.