CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville High Wildcats hosted games two and three of a three game series on Thursday, May 16, against the Collierville Dragons. While CHS fell in the second game by a score of 9-2, the Wildcats bounced back in game three to punch their ticket to the state tournament with a 5-0 shutout victory.
With the series victory, Clarksville High has now made the state tournament in three of the last four years, including two consecutive seasons.
During the third game, both teams were battling for their seasons with some baseball careers on the line as well. The Wildcats wasted no time though, scratching one run across in the first inning. However, that would be the lone run to score in the game through the first four innings played.
Meanwhile, on the defensive end, Jack Wyatt got the start on the mound and was lights out. Wyatt threw for five innings and only allowed four hits and zero runs. Clarksville High head coach Brian Hetland knows his team has been through tough games before, and it’s nothing new for them.
“We’ve played six or seven of the teams that are playing in the state tournament,” Hetland told Clarksville Now. “We’re battle tested, that’s why we played the schedule we did, so we knew how to win in these situations.”
When the fifth inning finally came around, Clarksville High found ways to score four insurance runs to continue to build their lead. Kirk Weatherford’s two run double ignited the rally and was one of his three hits on the night.
“To respond like that, after not playing a great game two, that’s amazing,” Hetland said. “The first game there wasn’t a lot of fun, they’ve had fun all year, and that’s when they’re at their best. That team (Collierville) has been to state two years in a row, they’re hard to knock off. We got it done.”
Weatherford then came out to pitch in relief of Wyatt to close out the game, allowing no hits in two innings worked while striking out three batters.
When CHS recorded the final out, the Wildcats dogpiled on top of each other and celebrated another state tournament appearance. The team also celebrated setting the all-time program record for single season wins with 39 and counting. However, there’s only one message to the team. The jobs not finished.
“We have to regroup and focus on what’s next,” Hetland said. “We’re going there to give it our best. Just making it is a dream, but we want to go there and do some damage. “