Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

BY NIC MILLER
STAR CORRESPONDENT

With the regular season beginning to wrap up for area high schools, there are only a few games left to be played before tournament play begins.

Beginning to get ready for conference tournament play, the Elizabethton Cyclones played one of their final home games on Monday, squaring off against the Lions of Lakeway Acadamy.

And while it may have been another opportunity for high school teams to play the game they love, this game meant more than most others.

Before the contest, head coach Ryan Presnell was presented with a plaque to commemorate his 100th career win with the Cyclones on April 12th against the Sullivan Central Cougars.

With the recognition over, it was time for the first pitch and the Lions would be the ones to strike first scoring two runs in the first frame with a Kyle Compton double to left-center and a sacrifice groundout by JJ Johnson.

But the Cyclones quickly struck back in the bottom of the inning after the leadoff man Jaden Anderson would make his way home after a wild throw from the catcher on a steal attempt while Noah Rosato also made his way around on an infield single by Ashton Wilson, knotting things up at two after the first inning of play.

The Lions took back the lead in the second with an infield single of their own, making things a 3-1 contest midway through the second.

After a great defensive performance by both squads for the next couple of frames, offensive action would finally resume in the fifth when Lakeway would increase their lead on a Nate Mcfadyen double that brought two runners home, making it 5-2 heading into the home fifth.

Down by three with three chances to make a comeback, the Cyclones did as they always do and kept on fighting.

Gage Treadway would get the party started with an RBI double to bring home one run, and a wild throw on a pick-off attempt by the Lions starter would bring home two more to tie things up once again, 5-5 with two innings left to play.

And yet again, there would be a break in the runs, as neither team could bring home the winning run through seven, meaning it would have to be taken care of during extras.

And it did not take long into the extra frames for things to change as Lakeway would score the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth with a fielder’s choice hit by Carson Shockley to make it a 6-5 game.

Heading into the home half of the eighth, it was a do or die for the Cyclones.

And while it was a hard-fought game, it would be a dramatic end to the contest for the Cyclones going down in extras by a score of 6-5.

The Cyclones will be back in action looking to bounce back later this week on the road against David Crockett on Wednesday and at home against Tennessee High on Friday.