Little ‘Landers claim coach pitch championship

Published 12:06 am Tuesday, June 5, 2018

The Carter County Bank Little ‘Landers had their bats working overtime Friday.

With 24 hits on the day, the Little Landers topped the Sycamore Shoals Biscuits 16-10 for the Elizabethton / Carter County Youth Baseball and Softball Association coach pitch championship at the Black Bottom Fields.

“It is very special,” said Little Landers coach Chad McKinney, who is assisted by coaches Josh Shell and Justin Hodges. “We have kids who have played for four years and had never got to play in a playoff like this. They won it all this year, and it is very special.”

For the ‘Landers, Coleton Miller, Parker Shell, and Jordan Hodges all went 4-of-4 with three RBIs each. Miller finished with four runs while Shell and Hodges had three and two runs, respectively. Tristan Cordell had three hits while teammates Zack Sheets, Jonah Arnett, Mattux Horney, and Carson Arnett all had two hits each. Lil ‘Landers Sawyer Stevens finished the day with a hit.

The Biscuits climbed out to a 10-6 lead after scoring five runs in both the first and second innings. The Lill ‘Landers, however, flipped things in the fourth and fifth as they scored ten runs over the two innings while holding the Biscuits scoreless.

For four of the Lil ‘Landers, it was not their first time winning a championship this year. McKinney, Shell, Hodges, Cordell, Arnett, and Horney were all on the same teams that won championships in basketball and football.

For the Biscuits, it was their first loss of the season as they finished with an 11-1 mark. Biscuits Collin Whitehead, Brayln Glass, Carter Birdsong, Isaiah Olevra, and Cain Taylor all had two hits, while Birdsong recorded three RBIs.