HENDERSONVILLE –  A year has made a big difference for the Hendersonville High School baseball team.

And a week has made a significant impact on the Commando hitters.

The team's recent trend of producing ample offense continued on Monday evening as Hendersonville won its site and clinched a spot in the Region 5-AAA Tournament with a 9-2 victory over Station Camp in a District 9-AAA Tournament game played at Drakes Creek Park.

The program's last trip to the Region 5-AAA Tournament came in 2010.

"Last year, we went in (to the 9-AAA Tournament) with the one seed," Commando senior leftfielder Braden Schwerdt said. "We didn't handle the pressure well. This year, we went in a little more care free. We handled it better."

In its first three postseason contests, Hendersonville outscored its opponents by a combined margin of 31-6. As a result, the Commandos earned the opportunity to host Wilson Central – the No. 2 seed from the 9-AAA South Division and winner of the South Division champion's host site – in Wednesday evening's championship game.

"It is a little surprising," Schwerdt said. "Last year, we struggled a little more in the district tournament. This year, we're putting it all together. It's making it a lot more fun hitting it like that."

Hendersonville head coach Mike Hendrix added, "On the inside, they have a little bit churning. They've stepped it up a notch. We went over to Lipscomb (on April 29) and got beat pretty good. We swung the bats well though, and it carried over. In this game, it's all about confidence. They are pretty confident. The worst thing you can have is to be overconfident. I think that's what happened at Beech (in a 7-0 loss on April 21). That was good for them. They just have to go out and do the job."

Monday's contest was the third time this season the two teams faced off. The Commandos captured a 3-0 win at Station Camp on March 24 and then claimed a 10-3 win over the Bison last Friday, in the two teams' 9-AAA Tournament opener.

Station Camp battled back to reach Monday's contest with a 6-5 victory over Gallatin on Saturday afternoon and a 17-7 win over Lebanon on Monday afternoon.

"Any time you get in that losers bracket, it takes a lot out of you," Bison head coach Jerry Ballard said. "Our guys left it out there. It's all you can ask.

"A.J. (Weed) threw 75 pitches on Saturday, and he threw 68 today. (Michael) Neely threw a bunch of pitches on Friday, and he came back and threw."

Despite producing 21 hits in the win over Lebanon just prior to Monday's game, Commando senior Will Wacaser limited Station Camp to just three hits.

"He's good," Ballard said. "It's the third time he's beat us in two years.

 "They're as good as they been since I've been here. They're so solid. They're so seasoned. They have good at-bats. They don't get themselves out. They don't give away bases. You have to earn it, because they don't give you anything."

Wacaser (3-3) put his recent struggles behind, going the distance on the mound. He allowed two earned runs, issued three base on balls and struck out four hitters.

"I was very glad to see him finish," Hendrix said. "He just hasn't been pounding the (strike) zone.

"He doesn't have anybody pulling for him any more than us. If he does good, we do well."

Schwerdt added, "It was real big. I'm glad we could get him going. It's a good time to throw well. He threw big tonight."

Hendersonville (29-11) scored in four consecutive innings.

Commando senior Jarcques Wordlaw was hit by a two-out pitch in the bottom of the second, moved to third when junior Cooper Brenning singled and scored on Schwerdt's single to right-centerfield.

An error in the outfield allowed junior courtesy runner Aris Welden to cross the plate as well.

Junior Camden Tammen and sophomore Tyler Thompson were hit by third-inning pitches, and Tammen scored thanks to a wild pitch, pulling the Bison to within a run.

However, seniors Connor Fischer and Drew Richard led off the bottom of the third with back-to-back singles, and classmate Ben Smith was intentionally walked. Junior Grant Williams drew a four-pitch walk to force in Fischer, and Richard scored on a wild pitch.

Brenning's sacrifice fly allowed Smith to cross the plate.

Hendersonville senior Justin Long drew a leadoff walk in the fourth inning, stole second base, moved to third base when Fischer grounded out and scored on an errant throw from the catcher back to the pitcher's mound. That extended the lead to 6-1.

Williams singled to lead off the fifth inning, and Brown reached on an error. Wordlaw followed with a two-run triple down the leftfield line, and Schwerdt singled to drive in Wordlaw.

Both Schwerdt and Fischer had two hits, accounting for half of the Commando hits.

"We came into the tournament free and easy," Schwerdt said. "We got some confidence. Now, we are just hitting top to bottom."

Hendrix added, "We've preached all year about approach and to not try to do more than you are capable of doing. We have some kids who hit lower (in the batting order). I want them to bunt. Don't try to hit the ball out of the park. I want them to hit line drives and ground balls. Don't strike out. Then, you don't give yourself a chance. They've had better approaches."

Station Camp (18-15-1) – the No. 4 seed from the 9-AAA South Division – scored its final run when senior Bryson Glover belted his second home run of the season to lead off the sixth.

Glover is one of four Bison seniors, a group that includes Neely, Jackson Bryant and Austin Windsor.

 

Sports reporter Craig Harris can be contacted at 575-7138.

Station Camp 001 001 0 – 2 3 1

Hendersonville 023 130 x – 9 8 0

A.J. Weed, Michael Neely (4) and Dylan Pottorff; Will Wacaser and Cooper Brenning. WP – Wacaser (3-3). LP – Weed (3-5). Home runs: Bryson Glover (2). Records: Station Camp 18-15-1, Hendersonville 29-11.