Tri-County
smashes Winona to advance
Southern
Sports & Travel
Tri-County
is chasing history, one series at a time.
Class
A top ranked Tri-County moved one step closer to their quest to win the school’s
first ever baseball state championship on Friday with a convincing 10-0 win
over second ranked Winona Christian at WS “Red” Hancock Field in Flora.
This
marked the third consecutive season that the Rebels squared off with Winona in
the second round of the playoffs.
Winona
eliminated Tri-County in 2011 and 2012 but a 1-hit, 10 strikeout performance
from senior Trent Driver and timely hitting propelled the Rebels in advancing
to next week’s Class A North State Championship Series against third ranked
Bayou.
Driver,
who came into Friday’s game not 100% healthy, had to battle out of a first
inning jam.
After
Winona lead-off hitter Morgan Mills was hit by Driver the Stars looked to do
some damage early on.
 |
| Delta State signee Trent Driver improved to 8-1 on the season |
Bailey
Lott followed by reaching base on a hot grounder that resulted in a Tri-County
error and allowed Mills to advance to third base with no outs.
Winona’s
threat would be halted as Driver began to settle in.
The
Delta State signee struck out Aaron Gatlin and Brady Chambley and forced Miles
Jackson into a ground out to get out of the jam.
Tri-County
would get on the board in their half of the inning as Tanner Rodabough reached
on a Winona fielding error with one out.
Rodabough
successfully stole second base and was brought home on a Derek Martin 1-1
double into left field with two outs.
The
Rebels added another run to go up 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning.
Dylan
McKnight sent a 2-out, 3-1 single into center field and was brought home on
Tanner White’s long double to the centerfield wall.
After
a shaky start Trent Driver retired nine straight Winona batters and Tri-County
would slowly start to pull away.
 |
| Tri-County's Derek Martin gets a large lead |
The
Rebels added a run in the third to stretch their lead to 3-0 when a deep fly
ball to centerfield was dropped allowing Tanner Rodabough to score from second
with two out.
Winona
would get their only hit off of Driver in the top of the fourth inning as Aaron
Gatlin garnered a lead-off double but Driver proceeded to strike out three
straight batters to preserve the shutout.
Winona
starting pitcher Bailey Lott found himself in a jam in the bottom of the fifth.
Dusty
Brock delivered a 1-out single but would be tagged out attempting to steal
second base.
Lott
then walked Derek Martin, who with two outs, successfully stole second base to
get into scoring position and Trent Driver would bring Martin home as the
senior hit a single into left field to increase the margin to 4-0.
Tri-County
poured it on in their half of the sixth inning.
Bailey
Lott walked leadoff hitter Nick Wooten and would be replaced by Winona southpaw
ace Brady Chambley.
Consecutive
bunts from Dylan McKnight and Tanner White loaded the bases but a third
straight bunt from Ryan Cothern would result in a force out at the plate.
Tanner Rodabough then single into centerfield to score McKnight and White and
Dusty Brock followed with a single of his own to bring home Cothern and
Rodabough as the Rebels pushed the lead to 8-0 with just one out in the inning.
 |
| Trent Driver of Tri-County steals third base in the fifth inning |
Derek
Martin would reach on a Winona error which brought Trent Driver to the plate.
Brock
would steal third base and Martin advanced to second and then Driver delivered
the knockout blow as the senior belted a double to score Brock and Martin and
end the game due to the 10-run rule.
With
the win Tri-County improves to 24-3 while Winona closes out the 2013 campaign with a
20-3 mark.
Driver
improved to 8-1 on the season and helped his cause at the plate with a double, a
single and 4 RBI’s.
Tanner
Rodabough and Dusty Brock each had 2 singles and 2 RBI’s and Tanner White had a
double, a single and an RBI.
Post Game with Tri-County Head Coach Ricky Owens
