Article by Craig Harris (Gallatin News Examiner) 

HENDERSONVILLE – The Hendersonville High School baseball team rallied for a run in the sixth inning, which was the difference in Tuesday afternoon's 4-3 victory over visiting Portland at Drakes Creek Park.

It was the District 9-AAA North Division opener for both teams.

Both starting pitchers went the distance on the mound, with junior right-hander Grant Williams picking up the win. Williams (3-1) allowed three unearned runs on four hits, issued one base on balls and struck out seven hitters.

Panther junior Austin Graves (2-3) also tossed a four-hitter, issuing four base on balls while striking out three hitters.

The Commandos (16-5) never trailed.

Hendersonville senior Connor Fischer drew a base on balls to lead off the bottom of the first inning, moved to second base when junior Cooper Brenning grounded out, stole third base and scored on senior Austin Brown's groundout.

Commando senior Justin Long singled to lead off the third inning, stole both second and third base and scored on Fischer's groundout.

Then, Brenning was hit by a pitch, and junior courtesy runner Aris Welden moved to third base when Brown singled. Williams followed with a sacrifice fly that allowed Welden to cross the plate, creating a three-run margin.

However, Portland (6-8) responded in the top of the fourth.

Junior Hunter Read reached on an error, and following a single off the bat of classmate Kemper Dixon, Nick Lingo reached on an error to load the bases.

Senior Josh Young followed by hitting a ground ball to senior first baseman Ben Smith, who threw to Brenning at home plate for a forceout. However, the relay throw from Brenning to first base in an attempt to complete a double play sailed down the rightfield line and into the corner. The throwing error allowed Dixon, sophomore pinch runner Tristan Sutton and Young to all score on the play, tying the contest.

Hendersonville senior Jarcques Wordlaw doubled with one out in the bottom of the sixth, moved to third base thanks to a wild pitch and scored on classmate Drew Richard's sacrifice fly to leftfield. That gave the Commandos the victory as Williams faced just three hitters in the top of the seventh, ending the contest with a double-play ground ball.

Dixon, senior Dach Diseker, senior Antonio Herrera and junior Brice Snook provided the four Panther hits.

Brown, Long, Richard and Wordlaw had the Hendersonville hits.