ATHENS — Cleveland was on the verge of an impressive District 5-4A sweep of McMinn County Thursday in Athens, but the Cherokees went on the warpath for back-to-back four-run rallies in their final at bats to send the Blue raiders home with a loss.
Coming back from a 6-2 hole, the Tribe was able to make up the difference and then some for a 10-7 victory, after getting beat by Cleveland in the first two games of the series 3-0 and 4-3 on Monday and Tuesday.
While the Blue Raiders (15-11, 7-2) clinched their first regular season district title since 2007 Tuesday, the Cherokees (13-12, 5-4) will be the No. 3 seed for the upcoming league tournament.
Cleveland is slated to play in the Trojan Classic this weekend, weather permitting, facing eighth-ranked Green Hill Friday at 6 p.m., in Evensville, before taking on Shelbyville Saturday afternoon at 12:45, at the McKenzie Baseball Complex.
After loading the bases but scoring in the game's opening at bat and McMinn pushign the first run across in the bottom of the inning, Cleveland exploded for a 4-spot in the second frame.
The first five Raider batters reached with a walk to Collin Stuart and consecutive singles by Caden Tippens, Evan Liner, River Briggs, to score a pair, and Virginia Tach signee Mycah Jordan to plate another.
The final run of the rally came when Nolan Copeland lifted a sac fly to plate Briggs.
The Cherokees picked up a solo score in the bottom of the third when Cincinnati signee Ty Barnett drove in his second run of the contest.
Cleveland was able to tack on single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth frames to increase its lead.
Briggs opened the fourth with a single, swipes second and third before scoring on a Tribe error.
It was Jack McBrayers turn in the fifth, reaching on a McMinn miscue and later coming home on a passed ball.
After the hosts cut into the deficit with their first four-run rally in the bottom of the fifth, Cleveland's final score came when Tusculum commit Cutter Womack drew a one-out walk, advancing on yet another Cherokee error and came home on a sac fly by McBrayer.
A two-run homer by Hunter McDonald capped McMinn's second straight 4-spot in the bottom fo the frame to pull out the win.
Briggs went 4-for-4, including a double, scored twice and drove home a run to pace Cleveland, while Jordan had a pair of hits and a "ribbie."
Stuart drew a trio of free passes, while Liner and Copeland both got on twice with a hit and a walk.
Game Summary
District 5-4A
Thursday, April 18
at Athens
Cleveland       040  111  0 — 7  9 2
McMinn County  101  044  x — 10 9 3
WP: John Bryson. LP: Cutter Womack. HR: Hunter McDonald (MC); 2B: River Briggs (C); Brooks Berry 2, Reece Frazier, Ty Barnett (MC). RBI: Briggs, Mycah Jordan, Nolan Copeland, Jack McBrayer (C); H. McDonald 4, Barnett 3, Frazier, Mason Roderick, Jaser Arms (MC). Records: Cleveland 15-11, 7-2 District 5-4A; McMinn County 13-12, 5-4 District 5-4A.
