BLOUNTVILLE — Only an error separated West Ridge pitcher Caydence Spears from a three-inning perfect game Saturday.
Otherwise, Spears retired all nine batters she faced, three by strikeout, and the Lady Wolves blanked Unaka 15-0.
On offense, West Ridge got doubles from five players: Cassidy Good, Lacey Fugate, Kami Clark, Nila Horne and Elliana Goodwin. Good went 3-for-3 and scored three runs, and Clark, Goodwin and Bonnie Dolen all had two hits.
Gate City 9, Cherokee 2
ROGERSVILLE — The Lady Blue Devils stringed together six straight hits in the third inning, pushing across six runs to build a commanding lead. Makayla Bays went 3-for-4 to lead the offense. Rylee Blevins and Madison Hensley each had two hits, and Bays, Hensley and Ada Gillenwater all doubled.
In the circle, Gillenwater fanned 17 batters and gave up just three hits.
Kennedy Dishner doubled and scored a run to lead the Lady Chiefs.
Eastside 10, Holston 1
COEBURN — Braelyn Hall struck out seven and allowed one hit for the Lady Spartans, also going 3-for-3 and scoring three runs from her leadoff spot.
Emma Sartin batted in five runs and went 3-for-3 herself with a double.
SOCCER
Dobyns-Bennett 3, Maryville 2
GATLINBURG — Brogan McGhee and Gavin Farmer scored a goal in the second half, giving the Indians a 3-1 lead and enough cushion to start the season 3-0.
McGhee assisted on D-B’s first goal, which came from Eli Wallace. Andy Salas and Wyatt Arrowood assisted the Tribe’s second-half goals. D-B outshot the Rebels 23-6 overall and 15-4 on goal, and Ethan Cline made two saves to get the win.
Ben Ingleston made seven saves for Maryville, which got goals from Thomas Tisdale and Joshua Maldanado-Costas.
BASEBALL
Eastside 8, Union 7
BIG STONE GAP — Christopher Steele scored the winning run on Clay Ward’s sacrifice fly, and Eastside held on to win in nine innings.
Tanner Perry went 4-for-6 and Will Johnson 3-for-6 to lead the Spartans. Steele finished with two hits and Keldan Hamilton doubled.
Johnson pitched the last two innings and struck out three while walking just two.
Keith Chandler and Eli Pleasant had two hits apiece for the Bears, who tied the game with a two-run seventh inning.
Sullivan East 3, Patrick Henry 2
BLUFF CITY — Blake Hayes went 2-for-3 with a double, scoring two runs, and the Patriots held off the Rebels. After scoring twice on errors, a bases-loaded walk forced home the third run for East.
Peyton Lingerfelt got the win, striking out six and allowing two earned runs on two hits. DJ Carrier fanned three and held the visitors hitless in the last 1 2/3 innings.
University High 4, Gate City 3
GATE CITY — Sam Taliaferro and Cooper Stevenson scored on a two-out error in the top of the seventh, putting the Buccaneers ahead after trailing 3-1 in the fifth. Taliaferro, Peter Boynewicz and Knox Poston all doubled in the win.
Sam Duncan went the distance on the mound, striking out two and walking none while allowing no earned runs on five hits.
Jackson Jones hit an RBI triple in the fifth inning to put the Blue Devils ahead two runs, and he struck out five on the mound in his no-decision.
Wise Central 3, East Ridge (Ky.) 1, Game 1
NORTON — Jaron Wyatt struck out 13 batters and walked just one to get the one-hit triumph in five innings. His double also accounted for one of the Warriors’ two hits.
Wise Central 19, East Ridge (Ky.) 0, Game 2
NORTON — Jaron Wyatt drove in four runs, going 3-for-4 with a triple to lead the Warriors. Shawn Phillips, Grey Kennedy and Jackson Willey each had three hits, with Kennedy and Isaiah Bentley getting doubles.
Scoring nine runs in the second and third innings, starting pitcher Cayden Hayes got plenty of run support. He struck out seven and gave up three hits over three innings, before Phillips finished the job.
Science Hill 17, Montgomery Central 4
KNOXVILLE — The Hilltoppers pushed across right runs in the sixth inning to win by run rule. Caden Wells went 3-for-3 to lead the offense. Nate Stoots went yard, and Jackson Berry tripled with Josh Marmo, Austin Denham, Berry and Landon Smelser all hitting a double. Smelser, Berry, Stoots and Sam Lane collected two hits a piece.
On the hill, Stoots struck out nine and allowed five hits over four innings to get the win.
Bearden 4, Science Hill 0
KNOXVILLE — Evan Cope struck out six and earned the one-hit shutout win for the Bulldogs, who got a two-run home run from Brooks Wright.
Josh Marmo’s double was the Hilltoppers’ only hit.
