Coffee County baseball closed out district play strong Tuesday night.
The Red Raiders wrapped up the regular season district slate by scoring 5 runs in the first inning then shutting out Shelbyville for a 6-0 win at Powers Field in Manchester (A game you heard live on Thunder Radio). CLICK HERE FOR THE BROADCAST REPLAY.
CHS did all the damage needed in the bottom of the first inning.
Caleb Moran was hit by a pitch and Cole Pippenger followed with a walk. Aiden Robertson then put the Raiders on the board with an RBI double in the right-center gap. Nolan Jernigan followed with an infield single then Nate Rutledge knocked in two with an opposite field double. Rutledge later scored on a Golden Eagle error.
The Raider bats went silent after that. Shelbyville pitcher Jaquai Beverly settled in and only allowed 3 hits over the next 4 full innings before being chased in the sixth. Beverly was hit with the loss after going 5.1 innings, allowing 6 runs and striking out 6.
The Raiders didn’t need any more runs, though. Senior right-hander Carter McKenzie locked down Shelbyville’s bats. McKenzie earned the win after only allowing 3 hits over 6 innings. He walked 2, hit 2 and struck out 7.
Shelbyville did load the bases in the fourth inning with 2 outs, but McKenzie picked up a strikeout on a nasty breaking pitch to end the threat.
Timothy Henderson tossed a scoreless 7th for the Raiders.
Coffee County is now 15-8 overall and 11-1 in district play. They will host Baylor at 6 p.m. Friday in non district play.
