PHOTO GALLERY: Ridgeview rolls past RCS in area finals

GRAY — Ridgeview scored 11 runs in the third inning on its way to a 14-4 victory over Rogersville City in the Area 2-A baseball championship on Monday, April 29, to claim the league’s top seed in the Class A Section 1 tournament. Sulphur Springs defeated Boones Creek in Monday’s consolation game to claim Area 2’s No. 3 seed.

Three teams from each area advance to the state sectional, which will be held May 4-7 at Boones Creek Elementary School. The sectional winner advances to the TMSAA state baseball tournament.

As Area 2’s runner-up, RCS (13-7) will face University School, the No. 2 seed from Area 1, on Saturday, May 4, at 2:15 p.m. The winner will move on to battle the winner of the noon matchup between Unicoi and Sulphur Springs in the sectional semifinals. Unicoi is Area 3’s No. 1 seed.

In the upper half of the bracket, Hampton comes in as the top seed from Area 1 and will face West View, Area 3’s No. 3 seed, on Saturday at noon, while Area 2 champion Ridgeview will face Area 3 runner-up Chuckey-Doak at 2:15 p.m. Those winners will meet in the other sectional semifinal.

The sectional semifinals are scheduled for Monday, May 6, at 5 p.m. on adjacent fields. The semifinal winners will meet Tuesday, May 7, at 5 p.m. in the sectional title game for a trip to the TMSAA Class A state baseball tournament.

Monday’s game

Ridgeview scored 11 runs on five hits in the bottom of the third to break open a 2-0 game and pull away from the Warriors. The Raptors added another run in the home half of the fourth for a 14-0 lead, but RCS kept fighting and pushed four runs across in the fifth.

Ridgeview collected 12 hits and took advantage of four RCS errors. The Warriors managed just four hits, including two by Conner Lyons, a two-run double by Cade Putnal and a single by Mac McAnally.

RCS got on the board in the top of the fifth when Teegan LeRoy grounded out to score Mason Kirkpatrick, who had reached on an error to open the inning. Putnal then doubled to score both Zack Daniel, who reached on an error, and Lyons, who drew a walk. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases again, and Landon Davis put it in play to drive in another RCS run before Ridgeview made a play on a ground ball to end the game.

Aiden Ryans started and pitched two innings, giving up six runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout. Putnal closed the game, giving up eight runs (one earned) on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.