Down 4-2 midway through the third inning and in danger of their seventh straight loss, the Harlan County Black Bears were in need of a momentum shift. Harlan County responded with 10 runs over the next three innings, and junior right hander Tristan Cooper put up four zeroes after a slow start as the Bears coasted to a 12-4 victory Monday over visiting Bell County.
“We played some good teams in Georgia and were in most of those games, but it was huge for us to get back on track in the first district game,” Harlan County coach Scotty Bailey said. “I’m proud of the boys. They settled in and made some plays and got some bunts down and ran the bases well,”
Cooper gave up six hits while striking out 10 and walking two in claiming his third win in four decisions this season.
“Tristan is too worried about walks and is thinking a little too much,” Bailey said. “He’s worked too hard this off-season and needs to go out there and just pitch. He will be all right.”
Junior catcher Isaac Kelly led the 6-6 Bears at the plate with a leadoff homer in the first inning and a double, scoring three runs out of the top spot in the order.
“I told him how much I liked being in the leadoff spot and he has made a good adjustment,” Bailey said. “He is being a leader for us.”
Brayden Blakley and Carter Howard added two singles each. Braydon Burton had a double. Jonah Swanner and Alex Creech contributed one single each. The Bears also had a big day on the base paths with multiple steals, including a steal of home by Swanner in the four-run third inning.
“We’ve been working on our base running and doing it more, and I think that’s huge for us,” Bailey said. “We ran the bases well in Georgia. I think they’re getting a lot smarter running the bases, and that’s huge for us.”
Holden Clark and Blake Burnett each had two hits for the 3-9 Bobcats out of the second and third spots in the order. Jackson Walters and Alex Creech added one single each.
Bell took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on hits by Clark and Burnett before Kelly tied it with one swing. Blakley was hit by a pitch and put the Bears ahead when Cooper reached on an error.
Clark, Burnett and Walters had hits in a three-run third to put Bell back on top.
Blakley and Swanner had hits sandwiched around a walk to Cooper to open the bottom of the third, The Bears scored one run on a.balk, one on a walk, another on Aiden Craig’s ground out and one when Swanner stole home.
Blakley, Creech and Howard each had RBI hits in the fifth inning, and Craig brought in his second run with a ground out.
“Carter got some opportunities in Georgia as he works his way back from an injury, and he hit the ball today. I also thought Craig put the ball in play and gave us a lift at the bottom of the lineup,” Bailey said.
Cooper Brock gave up 12 runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings on the mound for Bell. Creech pitched 1 2/3 innings, giving up one hit.
The two teams meet again Tuesday at Bell County.
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Bell County 103 000 0 — 4. 6. 5
Harlan County 204 420 x — 12. 9 2
Brock, Creech (5) and Walters; Cooper and Kelly. WP — Cooper (3-1). LP — Brock. HR – Kelly (1).