Early 10-Run frame dooms Warriors

White County Middle School baseball couldn’t overcome a rough start Thursday night, as a big first inning by Overton County proved too much to erase in a 13-8 loss in Sparta.

The Wildcats did most of their damage early, stringing together seven hits in the opening inning. That, combined with two walks and an error, quickly turned into a 10-0 deficit before the Warriors had a chance to settle in.

But on eighth-grade night, White County didn’t fold.

The Warriors answered in the bottom of the first with three runs of their own. Haskell Simmons led things off with a single, and Jack Dicus followed by getting hit by a pitch. Ryder Staggs then ripped a ground ball into center field to bring Simmons home. A misplay in the outfield allowed both Dicus and Staggs to take an extra base.

Aidan Short reached on an error at first, scoring Dicus, and moments later, aggressive baserunning helped bring Staggs across the plate to trim the deficit to 10-3.

Overton County added to its lead in the second. A walk and a single were followed by a two-out infield play that wasn’t handled cleanly, allowing two more runs to score and push the lead to 12-3.

White County responded again in the bottom half of the inning, this time putting together its best offensive stretch of the night. The first five batters reached base, beginning with Samuel Price being hit by a pitch and Carsen Smith drawing a walk. Simmons was also hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs.

A wild pitch brought in a run, and Dicus followed with a bases-clearing triple to cut the margin to 12-6. Staggs kept the momentum going with a double to left, scoring Dicus, and later came home on another wild pitch to pull the Warriors within four.

That would be as close as White County would get.

Overton County added one more run in the third inning, and from there, both teams settled in defensively. While each side managed to put runners on base, neither could generate another scoring push down the stretch.

Dicus took the loss on the mound, allowing 13 runs — seven earned — on nine hits and four walks over 3.1 innings. Tate Pinion came on in relief and was effective, surrendering just one hit the rest of the way.

The loss drops White County to 7-8 on the season with two weeks remaining before postseason play. The Warriors will look to snap a three-game skid next week in a home-and-away series with Upperman on Tuesday and Thursday, before facing Overton County again in a Friday rematch.

WHITE COUNTY BOX SCORE: 

HITS: Ryder Staggs 2, Haskel Simmons 1, Jack Dicus 1, Kolton Seibers 1 
RUNS: Haskell Simmons 2, Jack Dicus 2, Ryder Staggs 2, Samuel Price 1, Carsen Smith 1 
RBI: Jack Dicus 2, Ryder Staggs 2, Aiden Short 1 
2B: Ryder S 
3B: Jack D 
TB: Jack D 3, Ryder S 3, Haskel S 1, Kolton S 1 
HBP: Samuel P 2, Haskel S, Jack D 
SB: Samuel P 2, Aiden S, Jack D 

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