Warriors Can’t Keep Pace in Loss to Cookeville

The White County High School baseball team’s up-and-down week continued Friday night as the Warriors couldn’t keep pace with Cookeville, falling after the Cavaliers piled up 15 runs on 13 hits while White County managed just four runs.

Cookeville wasted no time getting started, pushing three runs across in the top of the first inning. But the Warriors answered right back in the bottom half. Cole Gentry was hit by a pitch to lead things off, and singles from Austin Pionke and Preston Taylor quickly loaded the bases. Griffin Adams delivered in the moment, lining a sharp single into left field that brought home both Gentry and Pionke to cut the deficit to 3-2.

That would be as close as White County would get.

Cookeville continued to apply pressure throughout the night, scoring in all but one inning, while the Warriors struggled to string together offense. White County scratched across a run in the third inning when Pionke, after being hit by a pitch, moved into scoring position and came home on a ground ball off the bat of Taylor as the Cavaliers opted for the double play.

In the seventh, the Warriors made one last push. Will Thomas led off the inning with a single, and back-to-back hits from Kolt Norris and Cole Sims loaded the bases. Thomas eventually scored on a passed ball, but the rally ended there.

On the mound, Kaden Seibers took the loss, working 2.2 innings and allowing seven runs on seven hits. Ben McCaffee followed, finishing the third and pitching into the fourth and fifth while giving up three runs on three hits. Mason Seibers and Riley Howell also saw time in relief, with Howell surrendering four runs late. Preston Taylor closed things out with a scoreless appearance, recording two strikeouts.

White County wraps up the week at 3-2, moving to 5-8 on the season. The Warriors will look to bounce back early next week with a home-and-away series against Cumberland County on Monday and Tuesday.

WHITE COUNTY BOX SCORE:

HITS: Austin Pionke 1, Preston Taylor 1, Griffin Adams 1, Will Thomas 1, Kolt Norris 1, Cole Sims 1
RUNS: Austin Pionke 2, Cole Gentry 1, Will Thomas 1
RBI: Griffin Adams 2
TB: Austin Pionke 1, Cole Sims 1, Griffin Adams 1, Kolt Norris 1, Preston Taylor 1, Will Thomas 1
HBP: Austin Pionke, Cole Gentry
SB: Austin Pionke

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