By Michael Lindsay
The Upperman Bees got back in the win column Saturday afternoon as they traveled to Carthage and defeated the Smith County Owls, 3-1.
Upperman senior pitcher Wyatt Curtis recorded the complete-game victory as he struck out 8 while surrendering 6 hits and 1 walk in 7 innings.
Center fielder Justin Fallon led the Bees at the plate as he went 3-4 with 2 RBIs and a double in the victory while first baseman Evan King led Smith County by going 2-3 with a run scored.
Upperman opened the contest with a run in the top of the first inning as a Fallon double to center scored Caden Shanks, giving the Bees a 1-0 lead.
Following a scoreless second and third inning, Smith County tied the contest in the bottom of the fourth inning as a Weston Vance sacrifice fly scored King, tying the game at 1 run each.
Upperman loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the sixth inning as an Evan Huddleston sacrifice fly scored Collier Bush followed by a Fallon single to score Braden Green, giving the Bees a 3-1 lead entering the bottom of the sixth inning.
Curtis struck the first batter of the sixth before the Bees recorded a double play to end the frame with a 3-1 advantage.
Smith County had the game-tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh with one out before a Curtis strikeout followed by catcher Rookie Allison picking off a runner at first base for the third out sealed the 3-1 victory for Upperman.
The Bees improve to 9-7 overall with a 9-2 record against teams from Tennessee while Smith County falls to 9-4. Upperman is scheduled to play at DeKalb County on Monday while Smith County is set to host Monterey.
