Rebels, Eagles Split First Two Games

McKENZIE (May 13) — The McKenzie High School Rebels hosted Eagleville Wednesday for the first two games of the best-of-three TSSAA Class 1A Baseball Sectional Series. The Rebels took Game One, 4-1, but the visiting Eagles bounced back for a big win in Game Two, 15-5, to force a winner-take-all Game Three on Thursday.

Game One: McKenzie Rebels 4, Eagleville Eagles 1

Eagleville struck first in Game One with a run in the top of the first frame. McKenzie took the lead with three in the bottom of the third, then added an insurance run in the sixth.

Rebel Fletcher Holt was 1-for-3 with a home run. Xander Johnsey was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, a run scored and a stolen base. Ace Brown was 1-for-1 with a walk and a run scored. Cole Brown was 1-for-3 with an RBI-sacrifice fly. Lelan Gordon was 1-for-3. Parker Ross was 0-for-3 with a run scored.

Eagle Adrian Sevieri was 1-for-3 with a double. Drake Rzemieniewski was 1-for-1 with an RBI-sacrifice fly and a walk. Brody Gleason was 1-for-3 with a walk. Sam Dodd was 1-for-4 with a run scored. JR Duke was 1-for-3.

Fletcher Holt earned the complete-game win for McKenzie, allowing one unearned run on five hits while walking four and striking out four.

Brody Gleason took the complete-game loss for Eagleville, allowing four earned runs on six hits while walking one and striking out five.

Game Two: Eagles 15, Rebels 5

McKenzie struck first in Game Two with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning, but Eagleville tied it in the home half. The Rebels pulled ahead with two more in the third, but the Eagles pulled away with nine in the bottom half. Eagleville added three more in the fourth to lead 14-4. McKenzie scored a run in the top of the fifth to extend the game, but the Eagles answered in the home half to end it.

Rebel Aiden Legens was 2-for-2 with a home run, a double, a walk, two RBIs and three runs scored. Cooper Davidson was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Parker Ross was 0-for-0 with two walks and an RBI-sacrifice fly. Ace Brown was 0-for-1 with an RBI. Fletcher Holt was 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Hudson Garrett was 0-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Xander Johnsey was 0-for-3 with two stolen bases.

Eagle Drake Rzemieniewski was 2-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, three RBIs and four runs scored. Wyatt McDougal was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Carter Blair was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Kelten Freeze was 1-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored. JR Duke was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Sam Dodd was 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. Brody Gleason was 1-for-3 with an RBI-sacrifice fly and a run scored. Adrian Sevieri was 0-for-0 with three walks and two runs scored. Jackson Nichols was 0-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored.

Wyatt McDougal earned the complete-game win for Eagleville, allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits while walking five and striking out five.

Xander Johnsey took the loss for McKenzie, allowing eight earned runs on five hits while walking three in two and a third innings. Maddox Shiell faced four batters, allowing three runs (two earned) on no hits and two walks. Avery Brown pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing two earned runs on three hits while walking one and striking out one. Aiden Legens threw one frame, allowing one earned run on two hits while walking none and striking out two. Lelan Gordon pitched the final third of an innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit and one walk.