Red Raiders Homer Three Times In 6-0 Win

If you wanted to see the two best high school baseball teams in Chattanooga this spring, you should have been at Baylor Thursday evening.

The Red Raiders played host to the Silverdale Seahawks, a high-powered Division II-Class A team at the Eddie and Gene Etter Baseball Complex/Wyatt McMahan Field.

Both of these teams have scored lots of runs this spring as they haven't played many close games, but when all was said and done as the sun was beginning to set, Baylor was the winner with the 6-0 victory.

All in all, it was a great game on both sides as all the pitchers were effective, both teams had some hard-hit balls and both teams made exceptional plays on defense.  And nobody from either team did any trash talking.

With the win, Baylor improves to 18-1 with 17 wins in a row.  Silverdale is now 25-4 and had a 24-game winning streak snapped.

Baylor can beat you any number of ways with their bats, but the long ball was the weapon of choice in Thursday's game at the Red Raiders scored all six runs on home runs.

Caleb Hampton got the first hit for Baylor against Silverdale's Ian Reagan, but it was a big one as it sailed over the fence in left for a two-run homer with one out in the fourth inning.

Then in the sixth after John Emendorfer and Henry Ford led off with singles to left, big Tomas Valincius made it 5-0 with a towering three-run shot past the scoreboard in right.

Nelson McKnight, who pitched the final three innings for Baylor in relief of winner Henry Allen, then ripped the next pitch over the fence in right for the final run of the game.

The Seahawks had more than their share of scoring opportunities as they had three hits and four walks against Allen, but the crafty 15-year-old freshman was more than up for the challenge as he made big pitches in tough situations to keep the guys in green from crossing home plate.

Silverdale, which stranded eight runners in the game, left two on in the first and third innings as Allen got grounders to end both innings.

While Allen was the winner for Baylor, McKnight did his job as he allowed one walk and one hit in the final three innings.

Reagan ripped a double down the line in right on the first pitch of the sixth inning. Courtesy runner Derron Watson went to third when Eric Boggess flied to right, but was left right there when McKnight ended the inning with a swinging strikeout.

"That was a fun baseball game," said Greg Elie, one of Baylor's two co-head coaches following the game.

"I thought we were consistent with our approach at the plate but I was really proud of our pitchers as Silverdale has some tough outs," he added.

Mike Kinney, Elie's partner in crime, offered similar thoughts.

"Henry Allen and Wells Grisham are both freshmen and both have pitched extremely well this season.  I thought Henry was outstanding today as he faced a lineup with some really good hitters," Kinney began.

"We were more concerned today about doing what we do best rather than worry about Silverdale.  But I'm extremely pleased as we had a good day today," he added with a smile.

Silverdale coach Lance Rorex really liked what he saw from his team, but today was just one of those days when things didn't go his way.

"I thought Ian Reagan pitched a great game, but he left three pitches up and Baylor crushed them all.  They've been doing stuff like that for a long time as they got the big hits in key situations," he said afterward.

"I thought we hit the ball really hard, but it was always at somebody," Rorex added.

Nobody from either team had more than one hit.

While Hampton, Valincius and McKnight all homered for Baylor, Emendorfer and Ford had the other two hits.

Reagan's double was the only extra-base hit for the Seahawks.  Owen Phillips, Drake Dills and Boggess all had one single apiece.

Silverdale will be on the road for their next game at Christian Academy of Knoxville on Monday while Baylor has a big three-game series with McCallie, starting at Baylor on Monday.

SILVERDALE  000 000 0 – 0 4 1

BAYLOR  000 204 x – 6 5 0

Reagan, Slycord (6) and Junkins; Allen, McKnight (5) and Whitcomb.

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)

https://www.chattanoogan.com/2023/4/20/467800/Baylor-Homers-Snap-Silverdale-Streak.aspx