Jackets win opener

The Williamsburg Yellow Jackets opened the season with a 9-3 win over the Barbourville Tigers at Briar Creek Park.
The Yellow Jackets took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning and never looked back. Geoffrey Witt opened with the bottom of the inning with a single and was followed by a Josh Ghantous base hit. Chase Fields then scored Witt with a sacrifice fly to leftfield for a 1-0 lead.
David Smith answered with a single that scored Ghantous. Moses scored on a throwing error as the Jackets moved ahead 3-0.
Barbourville got one run back in the top of the third but the Jackets scored twice in the home half of the inning for a 5-1 lead.
Will Moses led off with a single followed by Cody Harrell’s two-bagger. Harrell later scored on a Ghantous sacrifce grounder.
“I thought we played well,” said Williamsburg coach Don Stricklin. “We did a lot of little things that we needed to do. Their seniors were gone so we will still have to wait and see how good we can be this year.”
“It was a good start though,” said the second-year coach.
“We hit the ball at times,” said Stricklin. “Of course, we are young in spots so we probably hit the ball better than I thought we would.”
Williamsburg put the game away in the bottom of the fourth with a four-run inning. David Smith, Aaron Root, Will Moses and Harrell scored crossed the plate for the Yellow Jackets.
The Jackets will be home most of the week. They will host the North Laurel Jaguars Thursday, Clay County on Friday and Knox Central Monday.
The will be on the road Saturday to play in a round-robin at Cawood and will be on the road Tuesday at Jellico.

Williamsburg 9, Barbourville 3
Barbourville 001 020 0- 3 2 6
Williamsburg 032 400 0- 9 10 1
Worley, Clark (5) and Vanover; Shelley, Witt (5) and Root. WP-Shelley, LP-Worley
2B-Harrell (W), Witt (W), Worley (B)