LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — It’s the top of the seventh inning and the Moore County Raiders cling to a one-run lead against the Cornersville Bulldogs. With two outs, the Bulldog pitcher Aaron Gann heads to the plate. He’s got zero hits on three at bats for the day and Moore County relief pitcher Hayden Carter seems determined to send him home with a goose egg.

The first pitch flies fast down the middle for strike one. The second pitch is a ball. The count is 1-1. Gann fouls the next pitch. The count is 2-1. Carter throws another ball to pull the count even, and then, he winds up and throws a nasty pitch inside. Gann goes down looking and the Raiders escape with a one-run lead and another crucial district win.

Solid Raider defense saves the day

The Raiders got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Keller Morey singled on a line drive to the Bulldog left fielder and then Will Harder singled – allowing Morey to score for an early 1-0 Raider lead.

In the top of the second. Keller Morey walked two and then struck out the next three batters to keep the Bulldogs off the board. On the Raider at bat, they managed two strike outs and a fly out for no points.

Cornersville tied the game in the top of the third when a Bulldog runner waiting on third scored on a passed ball. Moore County answered with two runs in the bottom of third inning. Jacob Baker batted first. He singled on a ground ball to center field and then Will Parker advanced to first base after being hit by a Bulldog pitch. Keller Morey ground out on the next pitch but not before Baker could score and Parker could advance to third. Will Harder scored Parker on the next at bat with a single to the left fielder. At the end of three innings, Moore County led Cornersville 3-1.

Neither team scored in the fourth inning.

In the top of the fifth, a Bulldog player waiting on the third base stole home after Keller Morey struck out his teammate. His run pulled Cornersville within one run of the Raiders. Moore County answered with its own run. Will Harder singled on a line drive to to centerfield and then Peyton Martin advanced after getting hit by a Bulldog pitch. Connor Partin popped out on the next pitch but not before Harder scored to give Moore County a two run lead.

Will Penn came in to relief pitch in the top of the sixth inning and allowed just one hit and no runs. In the bottom of the sixth on the third at bat, the Bulldog pitcher walked Jacob Baker and then Will Parker singled on a ground ball to the short stop. As the Bulldogs threw across field, Baker ran toward home plate for the Raiders fifth run of the day. Then Keller Morey singled to the right field allowing Parker to score for run number six.

On their last at bat, the Bulldogs managed two walks, and a base by error before Bulldog Sellavs ground into a double play by relief pitcher Hayden Carter and first baseman Peyton Martin. After securing the catch, Martin threw home to squash the run. The Bulldogs managed two runs off a double to the Raider right fielder to pull the game within one before Carter struck out the final batter.

Keller Morey got the start and the win on the mound. He threw five innings tossing 114 pitches and 65 strikes. Will Penn relieved in the sixth – throwing just 15 pitches but two-thirds of them strikes. Hayden Carter closed. He threw 31 pitches and 12 strikes.

Will Harder led at the plate with three hits on four at bats and two RBIs. Keller Morey followed with two hits on four at bats. Jacob Baker and Will Parker managed a hit each. Baker led in stolen bases with two.

The Raiders will play at Tullahoma on Thursday beginning at 5 p.m. •

{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}