BLUFF CITY, Tenn. - Blake Hayes has waited his turn. He is taking full advantage of it.
The Sullivan East senior first baseman doubled, singled and scored twice and two pitchers combined to allow just three hits as the Patriots manufactured a 3-2 non-conference home win over Patrick Henry on a sunny Saturday afternoon at McKamey Field.
"It was a great day for me. I just come out here and do the best I can, that is all I can do," Hayes said. "It was a real close game. I love the intensity. It is fun, gets you fired up."
A rare meeting between two schools located less than 50 miles apart was created when Patrick Henry first-year head coach Eric Rutherford met Sullivan East mentor Mike Breuninger at a travel ball tournament last year. An opening in schedules for both teams made it happen.
"I talked to him about getting these boys down here to play and it worked out," Rutherford said. "It is a good atmosphere to be down here on a Saturday...It is a good atmosphere with these boys, a lot of them hadn't seen turf, for some of them it is their first time on turf."
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Sullivan East was able to add turf infields to both its baseball and softball diamonds prior to last season thanks to several local donors, including the field's namesake, former head coach John McKamey, who died in December at age 85.
"I can't even begin to tell you what a difference that having a turf infield makes," Breninger said. "Not just maintenance, but practice time. We haven't missed a day of practice because if the outfield is too muddy or something, we can still get on the infield. It wasn't like that for 50 years. It is awesome."
That sentiment was shared by Hayes and Rutherford alike.
"It is a great field, the turf is great, the bounces are always solid," Hayes said. "It is fun to play on, real thankful."
"It is real nice," added Rutherford. "I don't know of any (in Southwest Virginia). In the Hogoheegee we aren't playing on turf."
The lefty-swinging Hayes is excited to finally earn a spot on varsity after a stellar junior varsity campaign last year for the Patriots.
"I have waited a while to be here," Hayes said. "It is great, I have dreamed of it since I was a freshman."
Hayes followed a Zach Johnson two-out walk in the first with a single, and both scored on a throwing error by shortstop Alex Brown and ground ball out by Peyton Lingerfelt. Hayes added a double to the right field in the third and scored on a bases-loaded walk drawn by DJ Carrier.
"He is not fancy, he just loves to hit," Breuninger said. "He didn't start last year as a junior, but he had a really good year on JV. Obviously, we are expecting big things from him batting him in the 4-hole."
"I just do what I have always been told, just go up there and swing it," Hayes added.
Hayes has the same routine with each trip to the plate, drawing a cross in the dirt and then as slight flip of the bat before preparing to hit.
"I always just draw a cross in the dirt no matter what and that little bat flip is to calm me down," he said. "Just have some fun with it."
Patrick Henry (1-1), which opened its season with a win at Johnson County on Thursday, pulled to within 2-1 in the second on a solo home run by Carter Brown and made it 3-2 in the fifth when Carson Street singled, stole second, move to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground ball by Alex Brown.
Freshman Peyton Lingerfelt started for Sullivan East, picking up the win while allowing three hits, striking out six and walking four before being replaced by Carrier with runners on first and second and one out in the sixth. He struck out two batters to end that threat and fanned two of three in the seventh to pick up the save.
"Peyton pitched great on the mound, probably threw a little more pitches than we had originally planned, but we let him go," Breuninger said. "DJ came in there at the end and shut the door. It is a good game for us. That is a good young team over there, they are going to be good for a few years."
Patrick Henry displayed an even younger pitching staff. Freshman Kolby Hicks surrendered just four hits, striking out 10 and walking six in five innings. Carter Brown pitched the final two frames for the Rebels, allowing one hit and striking out two. Both did struggle with 3-0 counts, something that Rutherford figures will improve with time. Alex Brown and Waylon Daniels joined Carter Brown with hits for the Rebels.
"I am proud of them. We have got kids that have played a lot of baseball," Rutherford said. "They are young, a freshman started on the mound and then the guy that came in afterwards was a sophomore. All of our pitching are mainly freshmen and sophomores...
"We got behind in the count on some of them. I had to go with the pitch count on my starter there, but we didn't quite hit and execute like I thought we would, but it is our second game of the season. That will come, a little better approach at the plate."
Sullivan East, which opens Upper Lakes Conference play on Monday by hosting Tennessee High, bounced back from a 19-4 loss on Thursday to Dobyns-Bennett as the Patriots continue to adjust to the departure of nine seniors from last year's squad that won 17 games.
"I was proud of the way we played today, especially after taking it on the chin Thursday night to D-B and getting beat as bad as we did," Breuninger said. "You don't ever know how your team is going to respond, but I thought we came back and responded well."
That includes Hayes, who wasn't happy with his performance at the plate against the Indians.
"Going 0-for-3, it was tough, but come back, wipe it from your memory and come out here and do the best I can," he said.
Johnson also produced for the Patriots, reaching base on a single, walk and hit by pitch and also played flawless defense at shortstop, including starting a double play. Avery McCoy also had a hit for East.
"[Zach] usually plays first. Lingerfelt is our shortstop, but when he is pitching we throw Zach out there," Breuninger said. "Zach can play anywhere, he is the best athlete on the field."
Patrick Henry has a trio of games on tap next week, including Eastside, Richlands and a return engagement with Johnson County.
"They had a couple of hard hit balls, but I am proud of my kids for staying in it and fighting and competing, that is what we are trying to get built in our baseball culture at PH," Rutherford said. "We want to play teams like this and I am proud of how they responded, just come up a little short there at the end."
There is a reason why baseball is the only sport Hayes plays at Sullivan East.
"It is just the sport I have always grown up playing," Hayes said. "I love the game and I am just very thankful to be able to come out here and be able to play with them."
Patrick Henry 010 010 0 - 2 3 1
Sullivan East 201 000 x - 3 5 0
Hicks, C.Brown (5) and Rutherford. Lingerfelt, D.Carrier (6) and Crowder. W-Lingerfelt; L-Hicks; S-D.Carrier. HR-C.Brown (PH) 2nd, 0 on.