By Jeff Neal | SPECIAL TO THE TIMES  

EAGLEVILLE, Tenn. — On Saturday, the Moore County High School (MCHS) Raiders beat the Hampshire Hawks 5-0 and won a rematch with the Richland Raiders 8-1 to earn themselves a Region 5A Runner Up trophy and a TSSAA State Playoff Sectional game. They will now head to post-season nemesis McKenzie on Wednesday, May 14 for a best of three series to try to earn a spot in this year’s state championship bracket.

Moore County (17-16) baseball heads to McKenzie after winning the two games on Saturday and giving up a single run in the pair of victories.

They just need two victories in West Tennessee to reach Spring Fling XXXII set for May 20-23 – hoping to equal their 2021 run and maybe take one more step to the school’s first ever state baseball championship. Moore County fell to East Robertson in 2021 by a final of 5-1 and settle for TSSAA Class 1A Runner Up.

Morey led against Richland

They defeated Richland 8-1 – riding one big inning after a piece of equipment slipped out of one of the Moore County players hands. Peyton Martin swung and missed and so did his grip as the bat went flying near third base coach Randy Morey. It hit him to the right, so he was okay. The next pitch wasn’t as Martin singled between short and third.

What followed was a long inning for the Moore County Raiders as they sent 12 more men to the plate. In the end, there were only four hits but five walks as it took three Richland arms to make the three necessary outs.

Richland starter Cooper Jackson faced five before giving way to Jamison Andrews who faced seven batters retiring only one, Martin on a fly-out to first base. Finally, Andrew Turner got the last out – taking two pitches to retire Ethan Walls but the damage was complete giving Moore County an 8-1 lead they could carry with them across the finish line.

Cole Taylor got the win, out of the pen, after pitching the final three innings, striking out four. Raider starter Braden Works pitched four frames, walking three and striking out three.

“We are playing loose and having fun. I tell the dugout all the time you are vital in the game. When they are quiet, we don’t do as well they need to be active in the game to help us win,” Moore County Head Coach Randy Morey said.

Against Richland, Colton Morey led with two hits and three RBIs on four at bats followed by Braden Works with two hits and two RBIs on three at bats. Martin also managed two hits and Aiden Webster, Walls, Landon Smith, and Blakely Bobo added a hit each. Works and Taylor also managed stolen bases for Moore County.

Smith pitches a two-hit shutout against Hampshire

Against Hampshire, it was one big inning then senior Smith settled in and tossed a two-hit shutout after walking four and striking out nine – throwing 118 pitches.

“His pitches were working, and he had all of his stuff. It was his best outing this season and we needed it,” Coach Morey said of his game one starter.

The offense came on a three-run opening inning that also featured two walks and a hit batter. The run scoring hits came from Martin, Walls, and a productive grounder by Works. They would add single tallies in the fourth and seventh inning for insurance then when Smith struck out Kasen Anderson the team could begin making travel plans for McKenzie.

Against Hampshire, Martin, Works, Jay Sparkman, Walls, and Morey all managed hits with all but Morey also earning an RBI. Moore County were once again a menace in the base path – wracking up nine stolen bases including two each from Blakely Bobo and Taylor as well as bases from Braylynn Hill, Morey, Ike Holt, Sparkman, and Logan Cashion.

If you can’t make the long, familiar drive to McKenzie on Wednesday, you can keep up with the Raiders game on the GameChanger app or watch live on the NFHS Network. •

{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.}