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McKenzie Baseball Heads to State

Rebels Win Region, Substate

Posted

Region Semifinal
West Carroll
The McKenzie Rebels jumped out to a 6-0 lead on five hits in the bottom of the first inning after holding West Carroll scoreless in the top of the first. The second and third innings went scoreless for both teams until the War Eagles scored a run in the top of the fourth inning to make it a 6-1 contest. The Rebels scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend the lead to 9-1. Jake McDaniel hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to end the game with an 11-1 Rebel victory.

Ty Anderson went the distance on the mound pitching six innings giving up just two hits, one run, and striking out five War Eagles. Jackson Cassidy led the way for McKenzie at the plate with two hits driving in two runs while Jake McDaniel drove in two runs with his home run.

The Rebels advanced to the Region Championship Wednesday, May 18 against Bruceton at Bruceton. Bruceton defeated Houston County 3-2 to reach the final.

Following the West Carroll baseball game, senior baseballer Jake McDaniel became the second Rebel to sign with the Bethel Wildcats as his teammates and family looked on. Zayden McCaslin signed with Bethel earlier in the season. See separate story on McDaniel’s signing.

Region Championship
Bruceton
The Rebels traveled to Bruceton on Wednesday, May 18, facing the Tigers for the Region Championship. McKenzie got runs on the board quick in the top of the first inning with Collin McLearen, Hayden Hixson, and Ty Anderson scoring runs early for a 3-0 Rebel lead. Bruceton scored two in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-2 and it became McKenzie’s game after that. Jake McDaniel, Nolan Renfro, and Braden Birmingham each scored in the second inning extending the lead to 6-0. Four more runs came in the bottom of the third inning making it 10-2. Solo runs in the fifth and seventh inning finished the scoring for the Rebels at 12-2.

Birmingham led the Rebels hitting with three hits scoring two runs. Collin McLearen had two hits and drew a walk driving in four runs and scoring three runs. Hayden Hixson had a pair of base hits that scored a run. Jake McDaniel had a base hit and a double that drove in four runs and scored one. Ty Anderson recorded a pair of hits driving in three runs and scoring one. Jackson Cassidy had a hit that drove in a run. Nolan Renfro had two doubles and drew a walk that scored three runs. Braden Birmingham had three hits and scored two runs.

Jackson Cassidy went six innings on the mound giving up five hits, 2 runs, four walks and 10 strikeouts. Lane Anderson came in for one inning giving up a hit and struck out one.

State Sectional
Moore County
Back home again on Friday, May 20 for the State Sectional against Moore County. It turned out to be a morning game due to scheduling conflicts and the game got underway at 11:30.

The first inning went with no score Moore County scored first in the top of the second inning with a solo run for a 1-0 lead. The Raiders made it 3-0 with a two-run homer in the top of the third inning. In the bottom of the inning, Hayden Hixson got the Rebels on the board with a solo homer. Shortly after that, Jake McDaniel got on base and scored on a passed ball to make it 3-2 in favor of the Raiders. After the fourth and fifth innings went scoreless for both teams, Moore County scored to make it 4-2.

The Rebels exploded in the bottom of the sixth with Jackson Cassidy and Zayden McCaslin getting on base with no outs. Tate Surber smacked a triple driving in Cassidy and McCaslin to tie the game 4-4. Surber scored to give McKenzie their first lead 5-4. Renfro, along with two others scored giving the Rebels an 8-4 lead. Cassidy came back to hit again and drilled a two-run homer to make it 10-4 for the Rebels.

Moore County answered with two runs in the top of the seventh inning cutting the Rebel lead to 10-6. But the Rebels got the needed three outs to finish the game. Jake McDaniel went six innings on the mound and Ty Anderson came in the seventh inning to finish up the win and send the Rebels to the state tournament. McDaniel gave up eight hits, six runs, one walk, and four strikeouts.

Coach Wall was pleased with the team effort and the senior leadership. “Jake, Collin, and Zayden have pushed this team to be better all year. I can’t say enough about Jake on the mound today. He just stayed in there and threw strikes and got his curve ball working. We had some big time hits especially Tate Surber driving in those two runs to tie the game and of course the homers from Hixson and Cassidy.”

Members of the 2022 Baseball Rebels include Zayden McCaslin, Carter Kee, Hayden Garrett, Jake Cassidy, Braden Birmingham, Hayden Hixson, Tate Surber, Collin McLearen, Ty Anderson, Colt Norden, Jackson Cassidy, Nolan Renfro, Lane Anderson, Creagan Travis, Dawson Brush, KD Cunningham, Jake McDaniel, Drew Chappell, and Carter Swalley.

The Rebels (23-6) will face University School – Johnson City at Rockvale at 6:30 Tuesday, May 24.