REDHOUND BASEBALL

The Corbin Redhounds opened the 2010 baseball season with two wins and two losses last week. The Redhounds rolled past the Barbourville Tigers Saturday at House Field, 14-4 and edged the Clay County Tigers in a home game Thursday, 6-5.

Corbin suffered a 15-6 loss to Middlesboro and a 14-4 defeat at the hand of Lexington Henry Clay.

Corbin 14, Barbourville 4

The Redhounds rolled past the Barbourville Tigers Saturday at House Field, 14-4.

The Tigers jumped out to a 1-0 lead but the Redhounds came back for three runs in the bottom of the first for a 3-1 lead.

Josh Coppock and Trace Vorbeck led off with a pair of doubles getting the Redhounds on the scoreboard early in the game. Travis Smith followed with a triple then later scored on a sacrifice for the first three runs.

Barbourville came right back with two runs and tied the game at 3-3. Corbin didn’t respond in the second, but took the lead for good in the home half of the third. Ben House led off with a single. Ben Jones followed with a walk as House moved over to second. The runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. House scored on a sacrifice by Drew Farley while Jones scored on a Corey Lanham fielder’s choice.

Corbin exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to put the game away.

Smith, Coppock and Vorbeck were 3-for-3 in the win.

Corbin 6, Clay Co. 5

It took a home run by Trace Vorbeck and a double by Brady Foley to power the Redhounds past Clay County Thursday, 6-5.

After leading most of the game, Corbin fell behind 6-5 in the top of the seventh and was forced to come from behind to collect its first victory of the season.

Vorbeck hit a 2-2 pitch over the right centerfield fence, tying the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh. Travis Smith drew a walk from Clay County pitcher Corey Nicholson, then Foley followed with a hit-and-run double to left centerfield for the win.

Corbin didn’t waste any time getting on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when Ben House drew a walk. He went to second on a balk by starting pitcher Todd McDaniel then scored on a grounder by Smith and throwing error by the Clay County third baseman.

The Redhounds (1-2) added three runs in the bottom of the third. Josh Coppock started the rally with a walk. House followed with a single to left field. Vorbeck then lined a single to right field scoring Coppock for the 2-0 lead.

Smith picked up a pair of RBI’s with a single to right field and the Redhounds led 4-0. Smith was left stranded at third after Foley followed with a single to right field. Cody Duncum hit into a fielder’s choice before Vinnie Hoover walked. Ben Jones ended the inning with a routine grounder to short.

Clay County made a threat in the top of the fourth when Tyler Young bunted the ball to third for the first hit of the game. However, he was stranded at third when Redhound pitcher Coty Jackson worked out of the jam.

An error and a couple of walks came back to bite Jackson in the top of the fifth. Corey Corum led off the inning with a hit to second. Foley was unable to make the play and the Clay County runner was safe. Jackson then walked Chris Frazier before striking out Tyler Sumner.

A walk to Josh England loaded the bases and Young, the leadoff batter for the Tigers, followed with a single to deep right field that scored two runs. A fielder’s choice by Nicholson allowed England to score and pulled the Tigers within a run.

Corbin went to the top of the seventh with a one-run lead. Smith went to the mound for the Redhounds. Frazier opened with a single between third and short. England followed with a bunt and was safe on the play when House (first) and Smith failed to make the play.

Smith got Young to ground out back to the mound and struck out Nicholson before Wilson smacked a hit up the middle scoring the two runners.

That set the stage for Corbin’s come-from-behind in the bottom of the seventh.

Vorbeck and Foley were two-for-four in the win while Smith was one-of-two with two walks.

Middlesboro 15, Corbin 6

The Redhounds lost their season opener to the Middlesboro Yellow Jackets 15-6. Trace Vorbeck took the mound for the Redhounds and held the Yellow Jackets in check for three innings.

Ben House scored a run in the bottom of the first on a Vorbeck base hit to give Corbin the early lead. The Redhounds added to its lead in the bottom of the third when House scored his second run of the game.

Up until the top of the fourth, Vorbeck had struck out four batters and held Middlesboro scoreless. But, some untimely errors and some hitting by the Yellow Jackets saw Middlesboro plate seven runs and take a 7-2 lead in the contest.

Middlesboro added two runs in the top of the fifth for a 9-3 score, but Corbin came right back with three runs and closed the gap to three, 9-6.

The game remained close until the top of the seventh with the Jackets scored six runs and took a 15-6 lead in the game.

Corbin couldn’t answer and lost its home opener to the Jackets.

Corbin 14, Barbourville 4

Barbourville            120  010-   4    1

Corbin                302  27x- 14  13

Baufield and Tye. McDaniel, Clouse and Duncum and Lanham. W-Clouse, LP-Baufield. 2B-Vorbeck (C) 3, Coppock (C) 3, Hoover (C). 3B-Smith (C). HR-Smith (C).

Corbin 7, Clay Co. 6

Clay County            000  030  2  5  5  1

Corbin               103  000  2- 6  7  3

Todd McDaniel, Corey Nicholson (6) and John Wilson. Coty Jackson and Cody Duncum. W-Jackson, L-Nicholson. 2B-Foley (C). HR-Vorbeck (C).

Middlesboro 15, Corbin 6

Middlesboro            000  720  6- 15  11  5

Corbin                 101  103  0-   6    7  6

Pratt, Cox (5), Thompson (6) and Brock. Vorbeck and Duncum.  W-Pratt, L-Vorbeck. 2B-Womack (M), Brock (M), McDaniels (M), Hoover (C).