KINGSPORT — If Dobyns-Bennett’s baseball team is locked in a tight Saturday game with Cherokee, just turn to Tegan Begley apparently.
Two weeks after hitting a walk-off single against the Chiefs, Begley came through from right field, helping D-B record the final out of its 8-7 win over Cherokee at J. Fred Johnson Stadium.
With a man on base, Manning Brooks hit a two-out single to right. Begley’s throw to first baseman Cam Hayworth came in plenty of time for Hayworth to fire to third, where Mason Barnett tagged Bryce Elliott off the bag.
“Tegan probably made the best play he’s made all year, and he’s made a lot of great plays at third base on his instincts,” D-B coach Ryan Wagner said.
Not that Begley didn’t contribute offensively. Two batters into the bottom of the first, he crushed a solo home run to left, his third bomb of the year. The Indians (23-6) then took a 2-0 lead on Barnett’s RBI double, before answering Cherokee’s three-run second inning with a five-run third.
Barnett delivered the tying RBI single, before Andrew Reilly’s double to center plated two more for a 7-3 advantage. Taylor Blankenship’s two-out RBI single plated Mason Kerkhoff for an 8-6 lead in the fourth.
“We didn’t have a lot of energy today to be honest with you,” Wagner said. “I just told them you have to serve a purpose whether you get out on the field or not. We lost a little energy from senior night (Friday).”
Wagner didn’t have many complaints about the offense, which collected 12 hits to Cherokee’s nine. Kerkhoff went 3-for-4 to lead the way. Reilly, Barnett and Blankenship collected two hits apiece, while Hayworth and Will Ritz both had one.
A pair of D-B errors allowed the Chiefs (17-11) to go ahead 3-2 in the second inning, and Cherokee pushed across three more in the fourth to get within 7-6. Parker Travis followed Clay Wagoner’s RBI single with a two-run double to center. Cole Putnal’s one-out RBI double closed the gap to one run in the seventh.
Travis went 2-for-4 to lead Cherokee offensively. Keaton Lawson, Gage Adkins, Gavin Housewright and Jacob Brooks all singled.
Connor Godsey got the win in relief, striking out three batters between the third and fourth innings. Baker Correll and Ean Mays finished the job from there, after Hayworth started.
UP NEXT
Dobyns-Bennett faces Science Hill to begin the District 1-4A tournament on Wednesday. First pitch at TVA Credit Union Ballpark is set for 7:30 p.m.
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