CCHS baseball falls to UHS

Baseball coaches will often say a key to winning games is to not giving up the big inning. If the opponent scores, keeping the total to one or two runs is vital to survival.

After all, if teams never give up the big inning, they’re never out of the game.

Joey Burnett and the Cumberland County Jets found out just how true that adage is earlier this week. The Jets dropped two games to district powerhouse Upperman by scores of 13-0 and 10-0.

“We preach all the time about not giving up a big inning,” said Cumberland County coach Joey Burnett.

“Sometimes with this group being so young, when things go south they really hang their head, and they wear their emotions on their sleeves.

“We’ve been working all year on mentality, trying to stay positive, staying focused and controling what you can control.”

In the opening game Monday night in Crossville, Upperman jumped on top early with two runs in the top of the first inning and one in the third.

But the Bees tacked on five markers in the top of the fourth to pull away to an 8-0 lead.

Cumberland aided the Bees in the big inning with one error and five wild pitches.

Caden Shanks had the big hit with a two-RBI triple.

CCHS did make contact against Upperman pitcher Julian Liano.

The Jets spread around five hits with Kellen Burnett, Eli Ostrander, Rylan Burnett, Aaron Miniard and Lucian Poore coming up with the base knocks.

UHS scored one run in the fifth and four in the seventh inning to post the final margin.

“We talked to the guys about jumping on the fastball early and laying off the breaking stuff, but some of these guys will watch it and watch it, and they get into their own head.

“We’ve got to get that fixed too. We’re over thinking, putting too much pressure on ourselves. We’re thinking too much instead of doing what we have to do to help each other out.”

Coach Burnett said a lot of that probably comes from the youth in the lineup and the lack of actual game experience.

Ostrander went four innings for CCHS. He gave up eight runs on six hits. He walked four and struck out three.

Miriard went two full innings, while Joseph Hogan faced four batters before Rylan Burnett came on to close out the game for the Jets.

Liano went the distance for UHS. He gave up no runs on five hits. he walked none, and struck out nine.

Tuesday’s game between the two squads was dominated by Upperman. The Bees held the Jets to no runs, no hits in the 10-0 decision.