Elizabethton wasn’t going to be denied.
The Cyclones rallied in the top of the seventh with two outs to take a thrilling 5-4 victory over Tennessee High in the District 1-3A tournament at Tennessee High on Friday night.
With the win, Elizabethton advanced into the District 1-3A Championship series as well as earned a spot in the Region 1-3A tournament. The championship game is slated for Sunday with the if necessary game set for Monday if needed.
After the Vikings plated the game’s first two runs in the bottom of the first, EHS answered in the second as Jack Blevins hit a double to right field that brought Brayden Buckles across home plate, and Blevins scored off a Bryson Rowland single as the Cyclones evened things up at 2-2.
Tennessee High, however, scored two runs in the home side of the frame to take a 4-2 lead.
Elizabethton got a run back in the third as Justin Whitehead scored on a Buckles double as EHS closed the game to 4-3.
Neither team was able to get back onto the board until the top of the seventh.
In the top of the seventh, Rhett Slagle drew a one-out walk and stole second base during the next at-bat. Buckles also drew a walk giving EHS two baserunners with two outs.
Logan Campbell answered the call for Elizabethton as he hit a double to left field that allowed Slagle to score and tie the game at 4-4. Three pitches later, Buckles scored what proved to be the game-winning run off a wild pitch. EHS took a 5-4 lead into the final side.
Justin Whitehead struck out two Vikings to open the bottom of the seventh, and a groundout to Steven Meadows secured the win for Elizabethton.
Buckles went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Rowland added two hits with an RBI.
Whitehead, Campbell, and Blevins each had a hit for the Orange and Black.
On the mound, Rowland allowed just three earned runs on two hits with five strikeouts in five innings of work, while Whitehead struck out four batters and allowed no hit or runs in two innings of work.
