CLEVELAND, Tenn. — After working out of a pair of jams to start the game, Cleveland settled down to post a shutout of visiting Reb Bank Wednesday evening, at Bill Talley Stadium.
A strong two-hit combined pitching performance kept the Lions at bey in the 2-0 tangle that saw the Blue Raiders knock out nine hits, but only scored twice.
Cleveland (7-6) will turn around to host Ooltewah Thursday evening and crosstown rival Bradley central Friday.
Both games have 7 p.m. first pitches.
Reed Bank (6-4) will play in the Yellow Jacket Classic in Lookout Valley with a pair of game Thursday against Whitwell at 3:30 and CSTHEA Patriots at 5:45. The Lions will also tangle with Moore County Friday morning at 11:15
Raider senior starter Andrew Wenger "plunked" two of the first three Bed Bank batters and walked the other.
Cleveland catcher Caden Tippens threw out a would-be base stealer for the first out, before a fly ball to left field and a strike out kept the visitors from scoring.
The Raiders used a trio of hits and a free pass to plate a score in the bottom of the first. After an opening strikeout, Jayden Bates laced a solid single to left and then stole second base.
Nolan Copeland "walked the line" before Jack McBrayer beat out an infield single to load the sacks.
Wenger helped his own cause by lacing a single to left to bring in Bates.
Red Bank got a pair of baserunners on in the second with a single and a walk, but a pair of Ks got Wenger out of the jam.
New Cleveland coach Brent Tucker flip-flopped third baseman Collin Stuart and Wenger to start the third and the sophomore responded with eight straight outs, including a half dozen Ks, which included striking out the side in the fourth frame.
The raiders picked up their final runs in the bottom of the third when leadoff walk to Copeland and a single by McBrayer set the table with a sac bunt by Stuart plated the score.
Stuart got into a little jam in the top of the sixth by hitting the first batter, which was followed by a single. After a ground out a walk loaded the bases, but the big righty bowed his back and struck out the next two Lions.
Picking up the pitching victory with five innings of relief, Stuart recorded 11 strikeouts and a trio of walks, while Wenger K'd three. Both issued four free passes, but just one hit apiece.
Womack led the Raider offense, going 3-for-4, while McBrayer added a couple of hits.
Taveon Bond and Jack Barkaloo had singles for Red Bank, while Logan Denton was "plunked" twice, plus he threw five innings, striking out four and walking a pair, plus he "nailed" three.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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-
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R
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H
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E
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RED BANK
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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-
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0
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2
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2
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CLEVELAND
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1
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X
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2
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9
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0
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Denton, Dalton (6) and Brune; Wenger, Stuart (3) and Tippens.
WP: Stuart. LP: Denton.
Records: Red Bank 6-4; Cleveland 7-6.
(Email Joe Cannon at joe.cannon@clevelandbanner.com)