Campbell earns first career win

EDITOR'S NOTE: Cannon County's final two games of the Tennessee Walking Horse Classic were not completed as of presstime last week. Following is a recap from those two contests.
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TONY STINNETT
Courier Sports Editor

Preston Campbell's first career start is one he will not forget.

Campbell pitched four-plus innings of three-hit baseball as the Lions turned back Community, 6-4, in the Tennessee Walking Horse Classic. Campbell also helped himself at the plate by going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored.
The Lions dropped 7-6 decision in eight innings against Middle Tennessee Christian in the final game of the tournament. Cannon County was 2-1-1 in its four games. The loss was an extra-inning affair and the tie also was an eight-inning game. The Lions had the lead going into the seventh of all four games.

"We had played six games last week so to be in the position we were in by the sixth game with our pitching says a lot about us," Lions Coach Justin Fann said. "We didn't have much left. Preston threw real well. He was a little shaky in the first inning but he got into a groove after that."

Campbell scattered three hits in his 4-1/3 innings of work. Freshman Tanner Pharris came in and did a super job holding Community at bay. Pharris pitched 1-2/3 innings of two-hit baseball. He didn't walk a batter and pitched ahead in the count to earn the hold.

Pharris got the game to Tucker Francis with the lead in the seventh. Francis came on and slammed the door to notch his first career save.

Nick Vassar continued to swing a hot bat. He was 3-for-3 with two RBI for the Lions, who collected 10 hits as a team. Francis was 2-for-4 with one run scored. Jake Todd, Jackson Mason and Josh Williams also had base knocks for the Lions.

The Lions tied the game, 1-1, in the third when Austin Martin reached on a fielder's choice and came around to score on Francis' RBI hit.

Cannon County went on top 3-1 in the fourth when Mason singled and came around to score on Campbell's hit. Vassar followed with a two-out single to plate Campbell.

Community came back with two in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game, 3-3, but the Lions were not finished. Cannon County scored one in the seventh and tacked on two in the seventh to seal the win.

Cougars 7, Lions 6
Cannon County put forth a strong effort but fell 7-6 to MTCS in eight innings in the final game of the Tennessee Walking Horse Classic.
The Lions carried a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh but the Cougars came off of the deck for two runs to force extra innings.
Jared Judkins, who was 3-for-4, came through with a clutch single to score Jackson Mason in the eighth, but MTCS plated two in the bottom of the eighth to pull out the win.
In addition to Judkins' three-hit game, Trent Bragg was 1-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Nick Vassar, Austin Martin, Jake Todd and Josh Williams all had one hit for Cannon County. Mason walked twoice.
Chandler Todd earned his first career start and provided 6-2/3 innings of strong baseball. He left the game with the lead after scattering seven hits and walking just one.