Freshmen heroics, Gammon gem leads Owls in sectional clinching win at East Nashville

By Terry Collins Courier Sports

NASHVILLE — The Smith County High Owls baseball team punched its ticket to the Class 2A state tournament for the first time since 2018 last Thursday night with their second win over East Nashville.

Smith Co. won game one of the best two out of three series 9-4 the previous day and got a dramatic play to win 1-0 on Thursday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park — home field for the Belmont Bruins baseball program. 

The Owls improved to 21-11 as they scored the game’s only run in the bottom of the eighth inning on a lead off Evan King single, who was pinch ran by Cole Hackett. The freshman scored on a Riley Martin, also freshman, triple to right field to thrust the Owls into the final eight teams in the Class 2A state tournament. 

“It was awesome to have a couple of our young guys come up big like that,” said Smith Co. High head baseball coach Malone Smith about the Owls game-winning sequence.  “We were in such a good spot in the inning before to score with the top of our lineup. We just did not get the job done but we were able to bounce back and keep our heads level. For some of our young ones to come up big for us is impressive. ”

Smith continued, “I have been saying that this class of freshmen is a good one and they have matured extremely well to this point and they showed it.”

The Owls will play Huntingdon on Tuesday, Mat 21 at Stewarts Creek High in Murfreesboro at 4:00 in the Spring Fling. 

COURIER SPORTS