Bearden edges Farragut on error in 10th

This hasn’t been a typical baseball season for Bearden, but there was a return to some normalcy Monday night.

Nate Adkins scored on an error in the 10th inning, and the Bulldogs posted an 8-7 victory over visiting Farragut.

Bearden (13-16-1, 6-7 District 4-AAA) won its fourth consecutive district game and snapped Farragut’s (26-5, 11-2) 15-game winning streak. Farragut’s only other loss to an in-state team this year is to West.

“Baseball’s really kind of knocked us down, and we’ve had to pick ourselves back up,” Bearden coach John Rice said. “It’s a credit to our kids. They’ve done a good job of staying upbeat and positive.”

Bearden scored the winning run with two outs.

Adkins hit a single to shallow right field and went to second when Brandon Trammell was intentionally walked for the third consecutive time.

Adkins went to third on a wild pitch and scored on the same play when the catcher’s throw to third went into left field for an error.

“We’re scrapping to win games any way we can,” Rice said.

Keith Gabrielson, who started at first base, got the win in relief, pitching the last three innings. Carson Matthews relieved Trammell, the starter, in the fourth when the Bulldogs trailed 6-4.

Matthews threw four scoreless innings and allowed one hit.

“I just felt I needed to throw strikes and let them hit the ball and trust the defense behind me,” Matthews said.

Farragut went ahead 7-6 in the eighth when Jake Hagenow reached on a walk, stole second, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a wild pitch.

Farragut was a strike away from the win in the bottom of the eighth.

Bearden’s Clark Poynter led off with a single. After two strikeouts by Landon Smiddy, Farragut’s fourth pitcher, Trammell was intentionally walked.

With a 1-2 count on Gabrielson, Poynter stole third on the pitch and scored on the play on a throwing error by the catcher.

“We didn’t deserve to win,” Farragut coach Matt Buckner said. “We didn’t do a good job hitting, fielding or pitching, except for Smiddy.”

Bearden’s David Beam went 3-for-6 with a solo homer and double.

Dave Link is a freelance contributor.