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By: Allen Earl, Claiborne County Sports Zone

Claiborne Bulldogs fly by Hornets, 9-7

March 25- The Claiborne Bulldogs baseball team took down the Carter Hornets, 0-7, Saturday Afternoon.

The Bulldogs got two runs in the bottom of the first inning and didn’t score again until the fourth. They simply had to score in the bottom of the fourth because Carter took the lead in the top of the inning, 4-2. The two teams had mirrored scoring during the sixth inning as well. Both teams scored three runs. That’s all the scoring there was and CHS took the win, 9-7.

Claiborne had 11 hits with Ty Pryse responsible for three of them. Derek Mase had two hits. Joe Houser hit a homerun and Dylan Foster led the Bulldogs with three RBI.

Houser and Pryse were on the mound, and they gave up 11 hits, three of them earned. Pryse got the win. The Bulldogs survived a four-error game.

The Sports Center Players of the Game were Foster, Pryse and Houser.

Bell County defeats Cumberland Gap baseball, 16-4

March 25- Cumberland Gap baseball hosted Bell County, Kentucky and let the game get away from them early on. It all started with a five run second inning followed by a three run third inning. The Panthers put up two runs themselves during the second but were down 16-4 during their final at bat.

Bell county benefitted from four Panther errors but hit the ball well too. They had 13 hits on the day compared to eight for the home team. Bell County only committed two errors.

Blake Burnett got the win on the mound for Bell County and Ethan Powell got the loss for Cumberland Gap but only pitched one and a third innings. Gibbs Cochran, Alex Douglas and Devin Byrd all collected multiple hits for the home team. Daniel Thomas, Alex Creech and Jackson Walters led the visitors at the plate with multiple hits. No Sports Center Player of the Game was provided.

Lady Bulldogs defeat rival Cumberland Gap, 7-3

March 24- Coaches and fans of both Cumberland Gap and Claiborne High Schools were excited for this matchup as neither team seemed to have an edge over the other. For the first two innings the two teams had runners on the pads but couldn’t plate a run. During the bottom of the third, Claiborne struck first by putting a five spot on the scoreboard.

Maddie Ferguson reached on a double and later scored on an error. Jaylen Pressnell singled in Hannah Fugate making it 2-0. Myatt hit a double and Maddie Lynch singled and scored two more, 4-0. Allie Jones then laid down a beautiful suicide bunt, scoring Lynch and she also safely reached first. The inning ended, 5-0.

Hayden Beeler tried to get the Lady Panthers going and smashed a deep ball in the top of the fourth, but it was caught.

Claiborne’s Emma Myatt had a two-run triple during the bottom of the fourth that extended the lead out to 7-0.

The Lady Panthers then went to Brinkley Hollin in the circle for the bottom of the fifth and she retired the side in order.

Jennabeth Wilburn singled with one out and Hayden Beeler pushed her to second on a hit to short right. Dixon came up and doubled scoring two. Dixon later scored on a throwing error and the Gap had narrowed the deficit to four runs, 7-3.

Hollin returned in the circle and struck out Ferguson for out one and Katie Hicks for the second out. A groundball to the circle was fielded by Hollin for out three.

In the top of the seventh, Claiborne only needed three outs and after a great diving play from the circle for the second out,Myatt ended the game with another strikeout. Game photos may be viewed and purchased on aep.photoreflect.co

The Walker & Walker Players of the Game were Emma Myatt for Claiborne and Hayden Beeler for Cumberland Gap.

Cumberland Gap soccer defeats Harriman 7-2

March 24- Owen Stallworth led the way for the Panthers by scoring five goals. Jonah Ellison provided two more goals completing the total. Samuel Seals was excellent in net as he recorded 15 saves. Luke Williamson and Ellison both had two assists. Von Orr and Seals also recorded assists. It was a great district win for the Panthers. Below is a collection of game videos courtesy of Mara Brock and Elevation.

The Lester Fabrication player of the Game was Owen Stallworth.

Bulldogs earn comeback win over Hurricanes, 8-7

March 23- It all looked bad after the five-run Morristown East first inning, but the Bulldogs scrapped back into the game. The comeback did not start until they were down 7-0 but the third inning was huge for their confidence. Claiborne managed to get two on the board and added two more in the fifth.

To keep the game going, the Bulldogs needed three runs in their final at bat of regulation and did just that. They held the Hurricanes scoreless in the top of the eighth and won it in the bottom of the eighth.

Dylan Foster along with Joe Houser had three hits, Ty Pryse had two hits including a homerun. Tyler Holt also had a two-hit game and Evan Thomas, Isaiah Gerrells, Brady Hamlin, Derek Mase and Matthew Clawson each recorded base hits. The Bulldogs out-hit Mo East 15-8.

Evan Thomas and Tyler Myatt shared time on the mound.  Thomas had one strikeout and Myatt had nine.

The Sports Center Co-Players of the game were Foster and Houser.

Panthers taste victory over Buffaloes, 2-1

March 23- Cumberland Gap baseball battled West Greene on the diamond and took the lead late. The Panthers won 2-1 in part by a near perfect outing on the mound by Tate Murphy. Murphy threw a perfect game until the final inning, striking out eight hitters and giving up only one base hit.

Hunter Gibson, Gibbs Cochran, and Hudson Harris led the Panthers at the plate, all with one hit.

Devin Byrd hit a groundball out that scored the Panthers winning run during the fifth inning.

The Sports Center Player of the Game was Tate Murphy.

Lady Panthers struggle against Alcoa, 15-1

March 23- Cumberland Gap softball faced off against a powerful Alcoa Lady Tornadoes team, fell behind early, and lost 15-1.

The seventh inning was the one that hurt the Lady Panthers as they gave up seven runs. The offense from the Lady Panthers came from Jennabeth Wilburn and Brinkley Hollin.

Surprisingly, Alcoa was able to hit the ball well off Kerry Dixon. Dixon gave up 15 runs on 11 hits but struck out eight. She only had three earned runs. As a team, Cumberland Gap had two hits.

The Walker and Walker Construction Player of the Game was Kerry Dixon.

Bulldogs soccer battle but fall 7-0

March 21- The Claiborne High School Bulldogs soccer team lost on the road to West Greene by the final score of 7-0.

“We are still trying to find ourselves and I can see improvements every game.”- Coach Keith Reynolds

Ethan Johnson had nine saves to earn the Lester Fabrication Player of the Game.