During their final regular season baseball games, in-county rivals faced off – with both teams coming away with a win.
The Wildcats got the first win in the series, but the Eagles got the win in the final regular-season game.
Andrews traveled to Hiwassee Dam to kick off their first of two games on April 29. With a late rally, the Cats won 3-2.
The game started with three scoreless innings then the Eagles scored the first run of the game when senior Luke Harbin scored on an error to take the 1-0 lead. In the next inning, the Eagles made it 2-0 when senior Isaiah Crisp scored on an Abel Penland single.
The Wildcats got on the board in the top of the sixth when Logan Hyde scored from third base on a wild pick off attempt to make it a one-run game. The Cats used their momentum to take the lead in the seventh inning.
To tie the game, Kelby Waldroup scored from second on a Dawson Stalcup double. With two outs, Stalcup scored to give the Cats the lead on an error. The Eagles couldn’t rally late, and the Cats won -2.
It was a pitching dual on the mound between Andrews’ Ethan Sutton and Hiwassee Dam’s Cole Elliott. Sutton gave up two runs on four hits and struck out 14 batters. Elliott gave up three runs on six hits and struck out 10 batters. Sutton pitched six innings and Elliott pitched 6.2 innings.
After the game, Hiwassee Dam honored seniors Crisp, Harbin, Zack Francis, Trenton Beavers and track senior Ethan Russell.
The series shifted to Andrews for the final regular season game on May 1 and the Eagles came away with the 4-3 win.
The Wildcats got on the board first with two runs in the first inning. Logan Shuler was the first to score on a Drew Dartez single. Dartez then scored on an error to make it 2-0.
The Eagles took the lead with a four-run third inning. Pace Ware was the first to cross home plate to make it a one-run game. The Eagles tied it up as Penland scored on a Beavers single. They then took the lead when Beavers and Elijah Cole scored on an error to take a 4-2 lead.
The Wildcats scored one run in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it a one-run game, but neither team scored the remainder of the game and the Eagles got the win.
Despite the loss, the Cats had solid base running combining for seven total stolen bases. Kegan Ellis and Hyde had two stolen bases. Shuler, Dartez and Eli Aguilar had one each.
Andrews finished the regular season with an overall record of 4-11 and 4-8 in the Smoky Mountain Conference. Hiwassee Dam ended the regular season with an overall record of 4-13-1 and SMC record of 3-9.