Spring Fling 2018: Nate Payne, Seymour keep winning in state baseball tournament

MURFREESBORO — Nate Payne may never shave off his blonde-dyed beard after Wednesday's performance.

The Seymour senior struck out 14 batters and the Eagles scored six runs in the top of the ninth inning to beat Stewarts Creek 9-3 in the Class AAA state baseball tournament at Oakland High School.

The Eagles continue their path in the winners' bracket of the lower bracket. A win Thursday would put Seymour in the state game on Friday at 6 p.m. at Middle Tennessee State.

The Eagles led 3-2 in the seventh, but Stewarts Creek used two errors, including a wild throw to first by Payne, to tie the game. 

However, just like in Tuesday's opener when the Eagles defeated defending state champion Brentwood, 3-2, on Marcus Joyner's RBI-single in top of the seventh, Seymour "kept grinding," according to third-year coach Kyle Koeneman.

"That's just the grit of these boys," said Koeneman, who played for the Eagles in the state tournament in 2004 and their last appearance in 2007. "They keep competing until the end of the game. Like I said yesterday, if you get in these type of situations they don't give up."

And neither did Payne.

Payne popped up in his plate appearance in the the eighth, but he appeared in pain on his way to the dugout.

"I really couldn't move my wrist," said Payne. "I messed something up. I did it when I was swinging at the plate. My left hand went numb."

Payne said he "bulldogged" the final inning on the mound. He only needed 10 pitches to retire the side.

"He steps up to the stage of the performance and just does his job," said Koeneman. "He really didn't have his (velocity) today. He was kind of down. He has some injuries going on. He still threw a heck of a game. He came up to me and said, 'Coach, I'm going to pitch my butt off for you.' ''

Payne struck out 10 and gave up four hits to win the sectional game at Farragut 2-1 last Saturday. In the region semifinals, Payne struck out eight in three-hit shutout against Tennessee High.

"This team. I'm telling you, never quits," said Payne. "We don't go down easy."

Payne's pitch count topped 120 and TSSAA rules won't allow him back on the mound for the rest of the tournament. Freshman Elijah Galyon, who pitched a perfect ninth, will start Thursday for the Eagles.

Payne will still be used in the lineup. He delivered a towering home run to center against Brentwood.

So the blonde beard to match Payne's dyed-blond hair along with many of his teammates, will at least be prominent for the tournament.

"I love the blond beard," said. "I'm not going to shave it."