Hiwassee Dam – All week, the forecast called for rain Friday afternoon, when Andrews and Hiwassee Dam baseball were supposed to play. But on Friday afternoon, the forecast backed off for a few hours, meaning the game could start on time at 4:30 p.m.
As the game went on, dark clouds started to move closer and closer to the Eagles baseball field. In the bottom of the sixth, with the Wildcats leading 6-2, the home plate umpire pulled everyone off the field after seeing lightning. Rain soon followed, and with it any chance of finishing the game. The game won’t be finished, so the result reverted to the score at the last completed inning, the fifth inning. Andrews led 3-2 after five innings, so that became the final score.
The contest was much different than the previous game between the two teams on May 6, which Andrews won 24-23. Only 22 days later, both offenses were held in check.
Sophomore Isaac Weaver was excellent on the mound for Andrews (5-4 overall and in the Smoky Mountain Conference), giving up just three hits and striking out eight in five innings. The Wildcats only runs came in the first, which was enough for Weaver, who led off the game a walk. He stole second, and moved to third when Spencer Bateman singled into left field.
AJ Weaver was able to drive in both runners, ripping a double down the left-field line. After stealing third, Weaver would come around to score later in the inning, dashing to home while Ethan Neal stole second base.
Hiwassee Dam (1-8) was shorthanded, with three starters out due to showing up late before the game and another starter suspended. But the Eagles battled, never letting Andrews get away in the completed innings.
Clay Davis cut Andrews lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the first with a shot well over the left-field fence, and pitched two innings. Dawson Hedrick relieved Davis on the mound, pitching three scoreless innings.
Hiwassee Dam never got a chance to see if they could complete the comeback. The Wildcats struck for three in the top of the sixth, which didn’t count toward the final result. When the game went into a delay, the Eagles had a runner on first with one out.
Andrews remains in the playoff hunt with a win, though they have a tough final five games. The Wildcats play Murphy in a doubleheader after the Cherokee Scout’s press time Tuesday and have games remaining against Robbinsville, Swain County and Rosman. The Wildcats were crushed by the Black Knights and Maroon Devils, and bested the Tigers by one run in eight innings on May 14.
Hiwassee Dam looked to snap its losing streak on Tuesday against Cherokee, which ended after the Scout went to press.
Kyle Taylor cut the Wildcats’ lead to one with an RBI single in the fifth, but Hiwassee Dam never got a chance to see if they could complete the comeback. The Wildcats struck for three in the top of the sixth, which didn’t count toward the final result. When the game went into a delay, the Eagles had a runner on first with one out.
Andrews remains in the playoff hunt with a win, though they have a tough final five games. The Wildcats play Murphy in a doubleheader after the Cherokee Scout’s press time Tuesday and have games remaining against Robbinsville, Swain County and Rosman. The Wildcats were crushed by the Black Knights and Maroon Devils, and bested the Tigers by one run in eight innings on May 14.
Hiwassee Dam looked to snap its losing streak on Tuesday against Cherokee, which ended after the Scout went to press.