CORNERSVILLE, Tenn. — The Moore County Raider baseball team always seems to peak at the exact right time. On Friday, they got out to a big three-run lead in the first inning and protected it down the stretch to beat the Cornersville Bulldogs 5-3 and earn a spot in the District 9A Championship game against Eagleville today.

Moore County put up a big 16-0 win against Huntland in a first round game on Wednesday then lost to Eagleville 7-0 on Thursday. In true come back kid form, they then downed Cornersville on Friday to earn a spot in the championship game and punch their ticket to the Region 5A Tournament.

Eagleville, however, won’t be an easy Goliath to topple. The Eagles are perfect so far in District 9 play — even if today is a predictable spot for a let-down game.

On Friday, with two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Cole Taylor doubled on a pop fly to the centerfielder allowing Hayden Cooper, Jace Long, and Peyton Martin to score.

Cornersville put up two runs in the second inning to make it 3-2 then Taylor got another RBI when he singled in bottom of the third — scoring Jace Long — to give the Raiders a two-run cushion.

Cornersville pulled within one in the top of the fifth but Bryson Carter lined out in the bottom of the fifth to give Peyton Martin just enough time to score the final Raider run.

Cole Taylor and Peyton Martin led for Moore County with two hits each. Taylor managed four RBIs. Hayden Cooper and Jace Long managed a hit each.

Landon Smith got the win on the mound allowing just five hits and three run over five innings. Cole Taylor relief pitched in the sixth allowing one hit and no runs.

The Raiders play Eagleville in Rutherford County at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the District 9A Championship game. •

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