Bell County continued its unblemished run against district competition in convincing fashion Monday with a 15-0 victory in three innings over rival Middlesboro in the semifinal round of the 52nd District Tournament at Harlan High School.
After winning all six regular season games against district foes, the top-seeded Bobcats made quick work of the Yellow Jackets. Bell County scored four runs in the second inning, before tacking on 10 more tallies in their half of the third frame to invoke the mercy rule.
Bell County (14-9) capitalized on Middlesboro’s inability to throw strikes. Five Yellow Jackets pitchers combined to walk 15 Bobcats, hit two others and uncorked four wild pitches. Middlesboro was also charged with three errors.
With the win, Bell County advances to Tuesday’s 6 p.m. championship game against host Harlan and ensures its spot in the 13th Region Tournament next week.
After working out of a bases-loaded situation in the top of the first inning, Bell County scored the only run it would need on a Middlesboro error in the bottom of the frame. A two-run single in the second inning by sophomore Brayden Carroll made it 3-0, and a pair of bases-loaded wild pitches plated two more runs to make it 5-0 after two innings.
After sending 10 hitters to the plate in the second inning, Bell County sent 14 hitters to the dish in the third frame. Senior Holden Clark and Carroll each recorded RBI-singles in the big frame and four Bobcats scored runs on bases-loaded walks.
“We wiggled out of a jam in the first inning and then were able to take what they gave us and capitalize, offensively,” Bell County coach Jeff Sziksai said. “It was a nice win. (Tuesday) we know we’ll have to have our best game in order to compete.”
Clark (double) and Carroll each collected two hits for Bell County to complete the team total. Six different Bobcats walked twice. Clark scored three runs, while Cooper Brock, Carroll, Mason Sziksai and Ayden Smith each scored two runs.
Senior Blake Burnett worked all three innings on the mound for Bell County. Burnett yielded a first-inning single to sophomore Isaac Harris, walked two batters and struck out five others to earn the win.
“Blake came out and gave us just what we needed,” Sziksai said. “He threw strikes and it was a quality start for us and kind of put us in position to win.”
Middlesboro senior Malachi Coots pitched into the second inning and was tagged with the loss. He yielded four earned runs on just two hits, but walked five batters and fanned three. Parker Hampton, Mitchell Capps, John Hayes and Bryson Heck also saw mound duty for the Yellow Jackets.
Middlesboro finished its season with a 9-13 overall record.
—
52nd District Baseball Tournament
(At Harlan)
Middlesboro 000 – 0.1.3
Bell County 14(10) – 15.4.3
Coots, Hampton (2), Capps (2), Hayes (3), Heck (3) and Bayless; Burnett and Creech. WP – Burnett (5-3). LP – Coots.
