Article by Chris Brooks (Hendersonville Star News)

HENDERSONVILLE – Revenge, as it's commonly said, is a dish best served cold.

Hendersonville High senior Grant Williams handed out a bit of revenge on Wednesday evening, helping the Commando baseball team capture a 6-1 victory over visiting Beech at Drakes Creek Park.

Williams got a nice birthday present as well, earning a complete-game victory to avenge a 7-0 loss at Beech one night earlier.

"We actually needed a good butt-whooping," Williams said. "We need to get back in the swing of things like we did tonight."

Williams (4-1) struck out eight Beech hitters and did not walk anybody, giving up six hits in seven innings. He did hit three batters, but none of those baserunners scored.

"Other than my changeup, I felt like I had a lot of command," Williams said. "It felt pretty good."

Williams threw first-pitch strikes to 18 of 30 batters he faced in the contest.

"The big thing was Grant pitched a good ballgame tonight," Hendersonville head coach Mike Hendrix said. "He kept them off-balance. He's going to give up some hits, but he keeps them off-balance and does a good job."

Hendersonville (21-6 overall, 4-1 in the District 9-AAA North Division) scored a run in the second inning when junior catcher Cooper Brenning singled in senior Austin Brown, giving the host squad a 1-0 lead against Beech junior starting pitcher Bradley Crafton.

"The things we've been doing lately to be successful, we didn't get them done tonight," Beech head coach Jimmy Neal said. "A lot of it goes to Williams. He pitched a great game. I'm not taking credit away from him at all. We didn't control the things that we could control."

The Commandos added to the advantage with a pair of runs in the fourth inning as senior Jarcques Wordlaw's double to centerfield allowed Brown to score his second run of the game. Classmate Braden Schwerdt's sacrifice fly drove in Wordlaw two batters later, giving Hendersonville a 3-0 lead.

"I did a little thinking (after Tuesday night's game), and we tried some hitting-and-running, trying to move a bit tonight," Hendrix said. "We got some balls through. Six hits tonight compared to two (Tuesday), I'll take six hits and six runs anytime."

Beech (17-9, 4-2) got on the board in the top of the sixth inning as junior Isaac Robertson scored after senior Nathan Neal reached base thanks to an errant throw on a squeeze-bunt attempt.

"We hit the ball well," Jimmy Neal said. "We just didn't turn it into runs."

Williams helped his own cause in the bottom of the sixth inning, doubling to right-centerfield to begin the inning. After Beech Ian McWilliams – who relieved Crafton (3-3) to begin the fifth inning – walked Wordlaw with one out, Schwerdt collected his second run batted in (RBI) of the game when he singled in junior courtesy runner Jon Swindle.

Senior Justin Long followed Schwerdt's effort with a two-run double to right-centerfield, scoring Wordlaw and Schwerdt.

"It was good to see Justin Long get a two-run double," Hendrix said. "It was good to see Schwerdt put the ball in play. When the first four or five (batters in the order) aren't swinging it, the next three or four have to help us out sometime."

Hendrix believes Tuesday's 7-0 loss at Beech may have served as a wake-up call for the team ranked No. 7 statewide in Class AAA in the Tennessee Baseball Coaches' Association poll.

"We told them after (Tuesday's game) that they went over there thinking Beech couldn't beat them," Hendrix said. "But anybody can beat you on any given night around here."

Williams added, "We need to get back on our grind. We haven't been focused the last few games."

Despite finishing with the same number of hits as Hendersonville (six), the Buccaneers were unable to cash in early on.

Beech loaded the bases in the second inning before senior Brady Ballinger hit a ground ball right back to Williams, who started a double play that went to Brenning at home plate and finished at first base with senior Ben Smith.

"We had to have the same kind of focus and execution that we had (Tuesday)," Jimmy Neal said. "We didn't have that tonight."

The Commandos clinched the District 9-AAA North Division title with the victory, and will host their half of the tournament bracket beginning on Friday evening. Hendersonville will host Station Camp, who is the No. 4 seed from the South Division.

"It was a big deal," Williams said. "It gives us a better chance to host in the district tournament."

Beech would have won the division with a victory.

"That's what we wanted," Neal said. "I talked to the guys before we came over here. We wanted to be in a position to control our own destiny, so to speak, and we would have a chance to come in here and get things done."

Now, the Buccaneers will be the No. 2 seed from the North Division and will face the No. 3 seed from the South, which could be either Lebanon or Wilson Central.

"We have to let things play out, but that's okay too," Neal said. "Last year, we came up short, and we got a good little run during district time. We'll just let things shake out. We have to play somewhere (in the postseason), and wherever it is, we'll go at it and see what happens."