LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — On Saturday in front of a home crowd, two Moore County pitchers, Keller Morey and Connor Partin, teamed up for the shut-out district tournament win. Morey pitched six innings – throwing 111 pitches and 70 strikes – to get the Raiders most of the way there. Partin came in in the seventh. He threw three strikeout and walked one to close out the game.

The two teams split games in the regular season. On March 28, the Hornet managed at narrow one-point win against the Raiders in Lynchburg. With the score tied in the top of the sixth inning, Hornet Evan Keller doubled on a line drive to the left field – allowing Alex Meyering to score the winning run. The following day, Moore County put up a couple of three-run innings to earn a 9-5 pay back victory.

Big fourth innings seals the win for Moore County

Neither team got much offense going in the first inning.

Morey struck out all three Hornet batters in the top of the second inning. In the bottom of the second, the Hornet pitcher walked Will Harder on the Raiders’ first at bat. With Harder sitting on first, Peyton Martin homered to score them both giving Moore County and early 2-0 lead.

Morey faced three Hornet batters and sat down three Hornet batters in the top of the third inning. Moore County got a single by Jacob Baker in the bottom of the third and then took a fly out and a pop out to end the third.

Huntland continued to struggle on offense in the top of the fourth. During the Raider at bat, Harder singled on a line drive to the Hornet center fielder. Martin followed with a single of his own to score Harder. Two at bats later, Partin singled on a ground ball to the Hornet short stop – advancing Martin. Will Parker then hit a hard line drive to third base. The Hornet fielder bobbled the ball allowing Parker to reach base on an error – advancing Partin, and scoring Martin to give Moore County a 4-0 lead. Will Penn then singled on the next Raider at bat allowing both Partin and Parker to advance. With bases loaded, Partin stole home on a passed ball and then Jacob Baker knocked a hard ground ball to the shortstop – scoring both Parker and Penn. At the end of four innings, Moore County led Huntland 7-0.

Huntland couldn’t get anything going in the top of the sixth inning as Morey continued to strike out Hornet batters. During the Columbia blue at bat, the Hornet pitcher walked Partin and Parker putting runners on first and second. Penn then singled with a ground ball to the Hornet shortstop to make it bases loaded. Baker again delivered a clutch hit – allowing Partin to score the final run of the game.

Baker and Martin lead with three RBIs each

Four Moore County batters managed two hits each: Jacob Baker, Will Harder, Peyton Martin, and Will Penn. Hayden Carter and Connor Partin managed a hit each. Baker and Martin led with three RBIs each. Martin also hit the game’s lone homerun. Baker, Harder, and Partin all stole bases.

The Raiders will take on Eagleville in the next round of District 9 winner’s bracket. Cornersville and Huntland will head to the loser’s bracket. The remaining District 9A Tournament games will be played at Eagleville High School. •

{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg. We cover Metro Moore County governments, 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.}