By Jeff Neal | SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

EAGLEVILLE, Tenn. — The Moore County Raider baseball team fell in the district final to Eagleville 10-0 in six innings Monday as both teams advance to region play.

Moore County will now play Richland and Eagleville will play Hampshire at Eagleville on Friday in a double-elimination format. A win will have the Raiders playing at 12 noon for a region title. A loss will set them in the 3 p.m. game with work to do to reach a sectional game.

The last win for Moore County baseball over Eagleville was in April of 2021 a losing streak that is now 17 games. The program has overcome more this season as their head coach Randy Morey has been battling cancer and it has brought the team together.

“There are more important things in life than baseball that’s for sure. My kids have handled it well. I have put a lot of duties on my assistant coaches this season and they have responded,” Morey said of his health battle.

In a few weeks, he will head to the doctor to get his prognosis and find out if he is truly cancer free. Besides his team, his wife Janice Morey, head softball coach at Motlow State, has been with him every step of the way and to hear him tell it he couldn’t do it without her.

“She’s my rock and my best friend. We’ve been together 25 years. Her love, positivity and support have kept me going. She has taken me to 90 percent of my cancer treatments and not once complained,” Randy said of his wife.

{EDITOR’S NOTE: Jeff Neal is a freelance writer living in southern, middle Tennessee. He writes for the Murfreesboro Post, Main Street Media of Tennessee, and other area publications. You can read more of his work by clicking here. }

Coach Sparkman named District 9A Assistant of the Year

The Raiders had a rough day. They fell behind 4-0 after two innings and had to go to the bullpen. Jay Sparkman gave them nearly three innings of solid ball. One inning, the third, was just four pitches as he sat the Eagles in order. Freshman Jose Garcia closed things out on the mound for Moore County pitching the final 1-and a-third innings.

That was the best they could do as Moore County only had three hits. Cole Taylor, one of the Raiders all- district selections, led off with a triple in the Raiders half of the third as he knocked it over Brody Gleason’s head in right field. Braden Works and Colton Morey had the other two hits, singling in the second and sixth innings respectively.

Later in the inning, Taylor saw the ball get past the catcher Karsyn Knowles. He broke for the plate but Knowles got there in time to keep Moore County off the board.

The other chance came in the fifth. After a four-pitch walk to Works. Two more walks with one out loaded the bases. Blakely Bobo stepped up but hit one to Brady Burns at third who stepped on the bag then threw across to first base for the double play.

After the game, four Moore County players were named all-district, seniors Aiden Webster and Peyton Martin and juniors Braden Works and Cole Taylor were acknowledged for their play this season. One of the Raider assistants was recognized as James Sparkman was assistant coach of the year in district 9-A. •

{The Lynchburg Times is a non-partisan, locally owned and locally operated community newspaper in Lynchburg, Tennessee and one of the few women-owned newspapers in the state. It’s owned by a native and Tulane University-educated journalist with over 20 years of experience. It’s supported by both readers and community partners who believe in independent journalism for the common good. You can support us by clicking here. }