Rival fans on both sides celebrated on Thursday and Monday as Commerce and Jefferson split its only two meetings this baseball season.
The Dragons took the first contest, with pitchers appearing in mid-season form. Jefferson hurlers combined to throw a one-hitter Thursday with 10 strikeouts and no walks in a 5-0 win over rival Commerce at home.
But the Tigers (1-1) swatted back with their bats on Monday at their home field. This time Commerce earned nine runs on eight hits, including two early home runs by Colton Davis and Josh Swistak to boost the Tigers to an 8-0 lead by the second inning.
“We played a little bit more intensely,” Commerce coach Steve Cotrell said. “We still have a ways to go.”
The coach issued no excuses for Thursday, blaming his team’s lagging offense, errors in the field and untimely walks as costly miscues.
“When you are 1-22 getting on base you’re not going to win,” Cotrell said. “We weren’t ready to hit the throttle yet.”
Jefferson’s Max Ford (1-0) threw four innings for the win, allowing the Tigers’ lone hit while striking out four. Micah Carpenter and Ryan Johnson combined for three innings of perfect relief. Carpenter struck out four batters in two innings of work. Johnson fanned one batter in retiring Commerce in order during the seventh.
Jefferson pitchers faced 22 batters, just one over the minimum.
Dragon junior Drew Carson went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs to spark Jefferson offensively. Knight noted one change at the plate for Carson.
“He got a new bat,” Knight noted. “We might have to go out and get them all a new bat … He got his (hits) in big spots.”
Carson’s two-out, three-run double in the bottom of the second inning put the Dragons up 3-0. Ryan Johnson’s run-scoring single two batters later pushed the lead to 4-0. Carson added an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth. Jefferson (2-1) finished with six hits.
“It doesn’t matter if you get five or six hits in a game if you get them at the right time,” Knight said.
Cody Streetman (1-for-3) collected the Tigers’ lone hit.
Sam Lewis got the starting nod for Commerce on the mound but left the game in the second inning after surrendering Carson’s three-run double. Lewis was charged with four runs on two hits in one and two-third innings of work. Colton Davis pitched the final four and one-third innings, surrendering one run on four hits.
Jefferson coach Tommy Knight, whose team also committed no errors, expects the Tigers to be solid this season.
“You can tell that Commerce is going to be pretty good,” Knight said. “They’ve got a good team.”
On Monday, Swistak and Davis led the team in hitting, with each player producing three-run home runs. Joining Swistak (2 for 3) and Davis (2 for 4) at the plate were Drew Whitfield (1-4, RBI) and Sam Lewis (1-2, run).
Robert Hayes earned the win. He struck out four and allowed no earned runs in his four innings pitched.
Jefferson scored three of its runs in the sixth inning. Kevin Ross (1-3), Ryan Johnson (1-3), Alex Gaba (1-1, run) and Trent Sorrells (1-2, run) earned hits.
Cotrell had given the team Friday off and held a light practice on Saturday in order to allow the group to rest. Several players returned to the team after the completion of the basketball season. Several more are suffering with ailing shoulders.
The rest made a difference in the players’ energy levels.
“We knew we were going to come out and be ready to play. We talked to the kids about not pressing,” Cotrell said. “Right now it’s a learning process. The real season starts Friday.”
Commerce was scheduled to play one more nonregion competitor, Banks County, on Tuesday before opening its Region 8A season on Friday. (Tuesday’s results were not available by press time).
The Tigers will host Towns County 5:30 p.m. on Friday at the Commerce Recreation Department.
