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Lunnen pitches Smoky Mountain to critical WAC win over Tuscola
Bryson

Pinch runner Darius Bryson crosses the plate with Smoky Mountain's final run in last week's 4-0 win at Tuscola. - Herald photo by Carey Phillips

 Smoky Mountain picked up a critical Western Athletic Conference baseball victory by blanking Tuscola 4-0 April 25 in Waynesville.

Jake Lunnen (6-4) pitched a six-hitter. He struck out five, walked no one and hit a batter. Caleb McConnell took the loss.

The game was the exact opposite of the first meeting this year when the Mountaineers won 4-0 with the same pitching matchup.

"It was the best game we've played all year in all phases," Coach Tim Hawkins said. "We made some tremendous defensive plays that went above making the regular plays. We took some hits away from them."

The Mustangs scored the only run they would need in the first when Dustin Melton opened the game with a double, and Ray followed with a single.

Melton and Lunnen singled in the fifth with Melton scoring on a throwing error for a 2-0 lead. SM added two insurance runs in the seventh.

Melton was hit by a pitch, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Lunnen's double. After a walk to Trent Dillard, Justin Hawk had an RBI single. "Jake threw extremely well," Hawkins said. "He stayed ahead and was able to mix his pitches well." The coach said Ray made two exceptional plays at second base. One came with a runner on second and no outs in the fifth. The other was with runners at second and third and two away in the sixth.

He also cited Lunnen for picking a man off first in the fourth and starting a double play in the seventh.

Melton had two hits in three at-bats, and Lunnen was two of four.

Mark Golden, Mark Conard and Blake Murphy all went two of three to account for Tuscola's six hits.

In JV action, Tuscola swept a doubleheader at SM by scores of 5-2 and 7-6.

The Mounties scored three unearned runs in the first inning of the opener. Stephen Karby was the losing pitcher and was two of two at the plate with a double. Jared Frizzell was two of three. "We sort of had a meltdown in the first," Coach Bill Rice said. "We played bad defense and had a couple of walks."

The Mustangs failed to hold a 6-2 lead in game two as Tuscola scored five times in the fourth. Brody Frizzell was the losing pitcher. Robin Sharrett was two of three with a triple, and Jared Frizzell was two of four with a double.

Back to Sports: 05/03/01.