CLEVELAND, Tenn. — After dropping a 5-1 decision in a home-and-home opener in Ooltewah Thursday, Cleveland rebounded for victory Friday evening, at Bill Talley Stadium.
Coach Brent Rucker's Blue Raiders got a strong combined pitching effort to go with a 10-hit attack, including hitting for the cycle, for a 9-1 victory over the Owls.
Cleveland (13-5) started the scoring when Owen Goglio stroked a two-out solo shot over the left field fence in the bottom of the second inning.
The host added two more, two out scores in their next at bat with a Jonas Ernest bringing home Sam Coleman, who had been hit by a pitch, with a sacrifice fly plus Tyler Gardner singled home Collin Stuart, who reached base four times during the contest.
Ooltewah (10-5-1) got the goose egg off the top of the scoreboard in the top of the fourth with an opening Cleveland error allowing a baserunner, who eventually scored on a one-out double by Caleb Henson.
The Raiders responded with a five-spot in the bottom of the frame highlighted by a two-run triple by Stuart, plus a sac fly by Tippens to bring him in.
A two-out walk to Ernest and a Gardner single set up two more scores when teammate Charley Atha ripped a line drive double.
The Raiders tacked on the game's final run in the bottom of the fifth as Coleman drew a two-out walk and after moving to second when Stuart was "plunked," he came home when Ernest drilled a line drive that was booted by the Owl shortstop.
Stuart went 2-for-2 in official at bats, plus drew a pair of free passes, drove in two teammates and scored twice to pace the Cleveland offense.
Goglio and Gardner both went 2-for-4 with a "ribbie" each and a run scored, while Atha and Ernest both reached base twice, with the former driving in two and the latter one, plus he circled the bases himself.
On the mound, Gardner started, striking out the first two Owls but had to come out after just seven batters.
With the ball turned over to Jax Hafley, the senior responded with 2.1 innings of work to earn the victory allowing just three hits and the lone Owl run.
Sophomore Cooper DeBusk came on for 1.2 innings of hitless ball, striking out a pair and walking one before Stuart took the hill to close out the win with four strikeouts while facing just a half dozen batters.
GAME SUMMARY
Friday, March 28
at Bill Talley Stadium
Ooltewah 000 100 0 — 1 5 1
Cleveland 012 510 0 — 9 10 1
WP: Jax Hafley 2.1 IP, 1 K, 0 BB, 3 hits, 1 ER. LP: Paul Ferguson 2.2 IP, 2 Ks, 1 BB, 2 HBP, 5 hits, 3 ER. HR: Owen Goglio (C). 3B: Collin Stuart (C). 2B: Caleb Henson (O); Charley Atha (C). RBI: Henson (O); Stuart 2, Atha 2, Jonas Ernest, Caleb Tippens, Tyler Gardener, Goglio (C). RAIDER HIGHLIGHTS: Stuart 2-2, HBP, BB, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 RS; Goglio 2-4, HR, RBI, RS; Tyler Gardner 2-4, RBI, RS, 1.2 IP, 2 Ks, 1 BB, 1 hit, 0 ER; Jayden Bates 1-2, RS; Atha 1-2, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Ernest BB, HBP, RBI, RS. RECORDS: Ooltewah 10-6-1; Cleveland 13-5.