Wells Grisham struck out 11 batters over seven dominant innings, and Baylor used a five-run fourth to pull away from McCallie 5-2 on senior night Tuesday.
Grisham, one of the seniors honored before the game, was nearly untouchable from the start. He struck out the side in the first, ran off three consecutive strikeouts bridging the second and
third innings, and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth to preserve a scoreless tie.
"That sums up Wells' career right there", Baylor head coach Greg Elie said. "He's quiet and just steadfast and just shows up every day and does what he does. He's a consummate professional,
works his rear end off, has since he's been here for the last five years."
It was Grisham's first opportunity to pitch the home McCallie game in four years, and he made the most of it. The Red Raiders broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. Jack Shuman led off with a
double over the right fielder's head, and Kilby Hartley followed with an RBI double to snap the scoreless tie.
Henry Allen laid down a bunt to put runners at the corners, and Zach Morrison delivered an RBI single to make it 3-0.
A wild pitch moved runners into scoring position, and Mac Morris reached on a throwing error by the third baseman that allowed two runs to score. Emerson Morris then lined an RBI single into
center field to cap the five-run frame and chase McCallie starter, Peyton McCallister. "You execute the plays that we need to do," Elie said. "You apply pressure, good things will happen. That's high school baseball."
McCallie answered in the fifth. Noah Wilson tripled to right-center to drive in Dallas Gardner, and Wilson later scored on a dropped pop fly in the outfield to cut the deficit to 5-2. But that was
as close as the Blue Tornado would get. Wilson finished 2-for-4 with a single, a triple, an RBI, and a stolen base to lead McCallie at the plate. Jerome LeHoux added a single and a stolen base.
Brody Brooks relieved Grisham in the sixth and closed the door, striking out two batters in two scoreless innings.
Grisham said the rivalry atmosphere fueled his effort on the mound. "It's just taking it one pitch at a time, knowing that these guys can't beat me," Grisham said. "It's a good momentum builder, just because it's always
close games no matter what with these guys."
Elie acknowledged the significance of the rivalry win but kept his focus forward.
"There's a lot of baseball left to play," Elie said. "These seniors have been a great group and a lot of fun to be around, and I could not be happier for them."
Baylor improves to 16-4 overall and 6-0 in D-II East Region while McCallie falls to 15-11 overall and 4-2 in region play.
Baylor Wins 5-2 Over Rival McCallie On Senior Night - Chattanoogan.com
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