Crushers go 2-1 in Knoxville

The Corbin Crushers 13-and-under baseball team competed in the Knoxville Naturals Invitational Saturday and Sunday. The Crushers won both pool games Saturday, beating the Knoxville Blast 9-3 and the Knoxville Naturals, 5-3.

However, Sunday was a different story as the Crushers lost to the Naturals, 5-3 in an error-plagued game.

The Crushers and the Johnson City Hurricanes finished pool play with 2-0 record, but the tiebreaker gave the number one seed to the Tennessee team.

A forfeit by one of the local Tennessee teams forced a rematch with the Crushers and the host Naturals.

Corbin jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Connor Hicks opened with a double to left field. He scored on a hit and run single by Cory Ledington.

Jaxson Stewart followed with a fielder’s choice after he hit the ball to third, eliminating Ledington going to second. Stewart stole second before Ethan Wilson walked. Brayden Sevier walked to load the bases. The runners moved up on a balk by the Naturals pitcher giving Corbin a 2-0 lead.

Michael May, who got the start on the mound, sat down the host in order in the top of the second and Corbin came up empty in the bottom half of the inning despite two players reaching first. May got a one-out single and Tucker Jewell went in to run for the Corbin pitcher. Jewell stole second and third before Clay Shelton drew a walk. But, before Shelton could steal second Hicks hit into a double play to end the inning.

The Naturals scored three runs on three walks and three errors in the top of the third to take a 3-2 lead.

However, in the home half of the third, Ledington walked and stole second. He scored on a Wilson base hit, tying the game at 3-3.

With Jewell running for Wilson, Sevier hit into a double play to end the inning.

Wilson, who came to the mound in the third inning, retired the side in the top of the fourth and the Crushers rallied in the bottom of the inning. Chase Estep started with a single. However, Tanner Barnes lined out to second as the host pulled off a double play. May then struck out to end the inning.

A pair of errors led to a 5-3 lead by the Naturals in the top of the fifth and Corbin failed to mount a comeback before the game was called because of a time limit rule after the fifth inning.

Corbin opened the tournament with a 9-3 win over the Knoxville Blast. The Blast took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Crushers came back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. With Hicks and Ledington on base in the bottom of the inning, Stewart belted a two-run triple. He later scored on a passed ball, tying the game at 3-3.

In the bottom of the second, Wilson knocked in Jewell, giving Corbin the lead for good. Corbin scored four runs in the inning and led 7-3. The Crushers added two more runs in the bottom of the third before the game was called. Hicks got the win on the mound.

The first time the Crushers met the Naturals in pool play, Corbin jumped out to a 5-0 lead then held on for the win.

In the bottom of the first, Hicks and Ledington scored on a Stewart single. The bottom of the third saw Hicks and Ledington again standing on base when Stewart hit a two-run single. Stewart scored on a Wilson double for the 5-0 lead.

The Naturals rallied in the top of the fifth for three runs, but Corbin held on for the win. Wilson got the win with Ryan VanNorstran and Ledington coming on to finish the game.

Naturals 003  02- 5  1  0

Crushers 201  00- 3  5  4

May, Wilson and Ledington. L-Wilson. 2B-Hicks (C).

Naturals 000  030- 3  1  2

Crushers 203  000- 5  6  1

Wilson, VanNorstran, Ledington and Stewart. W-Wilson. 3B-Stewart (C). 2B-Wilson (C), Stewart (C).