Article by Craig Harris (Gallatin News Examiner)

HENDERSONVILLE – Graduation day is one that most high-school seniors look forward to.

For the Hendersonville High senior baseball players, graduation day will be superseded by game day.

The elder Commandos weren’t complaining though as they earned the right to host one eight Class AAA sectional games thanks to Wednesday evening’s 13-5 victory over visiting Wilson Central in the Region 5-AAA Tournament championship game, which was played at Drakes Creek Park.

“We’re definitely blessed to have the opportunity to play in the substate (sectional) and graduate on this field,” Hendersonville senior rightfielder Austin Brown said. “It’s definitely a blessing.”

The graduation ceremony begins an hour before the Commandos’ 7 p.m. contest against visiting Centennial, which suffered a 9-7 loss to Ravenwood in Wednesday evening’s Region 6-AAA championship game.

“We are stoked,” Hendersonville senior second baseman Drew Richard said. “I personally would rather everybody graduate and then come watch us graduate after the game.”

Main Street separates Hendersonville High and Drakes Creek Park, with less than a mile between the two.

Only the regional champions host sectional games, while the regional runner-up squads have to travel for their sectional contest. Therefore, by winning Wednesday’s contest, it gave the Commandos’ senior classmates the opportunity to watch the conclusion of Friday’s sectional.

Hendersonville trailed for the first time in the postseason on Tuesday, albeit only briefly.

“It might have been good for them to get behind, battle back and have to catch up,” Commando head coach Mike Hendrix.

Hendersonville senior Connor Fischer singled to lead off the bottom of the first inning and scored on classmate Ben Smith’s sacrifice fly.

However, a pair of two-out hits placed the Wildcats in front in the top of the second.

Senior Dalton McCorkle’s double to centerfield tied the contest, and classmate Colten Morris followed by lifting a fly ball over the wall in rightfield, giving Wilson Central a 3-1 advantage.

The Commandos responded immediately though, erupting for seven runs in the bottom of the frame and chasing sophomore starting pitcher Ryan Hill from the game.

Brown drew a leadoff walk and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Braden Schwerdt.

Richard’s two-out single to right-centerfield drove in junior courtesy runner Jon Swindle and senior Justin Long, placing Hendersonville in front to stay.

After Smith drew a walk to reload the bases, junior Grant Williams hit a grand slam down the leftfield line, creating an 8-3 cushion for his squad.

It was Williams’ third home run this season, two of which have come in the postseason.

“Of course, it’s huge (to respond),” Richard said. “I don’t think we had any doubt we would respond.

“We’re pretty good at winning the inning. It looks like we won about every inning.”

Fischer drove in Swindle with another sacrifice fly in the third inning, and Commando junior starting pitcher Will Wacaser held the Wildcat hitters at bay until the sixth.

Wacaser (4-3) allowed five runs (three earned) on four hits over 5 and 1/3 innings. The right-hander hit three batters, did not issue a base on balls and struck out six.

“Will hasn’t had his best stuff, but he goes out and battles,” Hendrix said. “He’s going to give you everything he’s got. He gave us five innings.

“We didn’t help him out (defensively) in the sixth.”

Hendersonville junior Ian MacMaster came on in the top of the sixth with one out and the bases loaded and issued a walk to force in a run, but the left-hander followed that with back-to-back flyouts to Brown in rightfield and senior centerfielder Jarcques Wordlaw.

Then, MacMaster struck out the first two hitters in the seventh before sophomore right-hander Andrew Dorris came on to end the game with a strikeout.

A walk to Fischer and singles by Williams and junior Aaron Weakley loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, and Brown laced the first pitch he saw into the right-centerfield gap for a three-run triple.

Brown scored thanks to Wordlaw’s sacrifice fly, creating the final score.

The Commandos finished with 10 hits. Both Schwerdt and Williams produced two hits.

It was Hendersonville’s third win over Wilson Central this season, including a 3-1 victory over the visiting Wildcats on March 25 and a 2-0 win over Wilson Central one week earlier in the District 9-AAA Tournament title game.

“(The familiarity) helps with knowing your opponent, what the hitters do and what the pitchers throw,” Brown said. “I think that benefitted us.”

It is the seventh regional title for the Commando program, but the first since 2000 (a 7-4 win at Henry County that came thanks to Brad Higdon’s sixth-inning grand slam). Hendersonville also won the region in 1980, 1983, 1994, 1995 and 1999.

“It means a ton to bring home this many wins and to bring home two plaques so far,” Richard said. “We’re playing pretty well.”

The Commandos improved to 32-11, while the Wildcats fell to 21-11-1.

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

 

Wilson Central 030 002 0 – 5 4 0

Hendersonville 171 004 x – 13 10 2

Ryan Hill, Tony Pfefferle (2), Jacob Davis (3), Dalton McCorkle (6) and Chase Ford; Will Wacaser, Ian MacMaster (6), Andrew Dorris (7) and Cooper Brenning. WP – Wacaser (4-3). LP – Hill. Home runs: Wilson Central – Colten Morris; Hendersonville – Grant Williams (3). Records: Wilson Central 21-11-1, Hendersonville 32-11.

Article by Craig Harris (Gallatin News Examiner) 

HENDERSONVILLE – Hendersonville High School made quite an impression on Grant Williams in October of 2013.

“It’s walking into a new school,” Williams said. “Whenever I visited the school, it was nice. It was like a high school on TV. I liked it.

“The move was beneficial.”

The tables are turned now though.

It’s Williams who is making quite an impression.

The junior pitcher outdueled one of the state’s most highly-touted prospects on Monday evening, propelling the Commando baseball squad into the regional championship game with a 1-0 victory over visiting Clarksville  in a Region 5-AAA Tournament semifinal contest played at Drakes Creek Park.

“It’s been exciting,” Williams – who transferred from West Monroe (La.) High School due a job that his mother accepted in the Nashville area – said. “It’s more fun when there’s a lot of people in the stands. It’s exciting. The atmosphere’s been great. It’s even more fun when we keep winning, especially close games.”

This is the program’s furthest advancement since 2003, when Hendersonville placed fourth in the state.

“It’s exciting,” Commando junior catcher Cooper Brenning said. “It’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had playing the game, because it means so much.”

Hendersonville senior rightfielder Austin Brown added, “The game gets bigger for us, but we still have to play our game. We have to slow the game down and play it like we want to play it.”

Williams picked up his third win of the postseason, all of which came over a nine-day stretch.

“He was around the zone,” Commando head coach Mike Hendrix said. “He’s around the zone all of the time, and his curveball was great. He did a great job. I can’t say enough about what Grant did. I can’t say enough about what he’s done all year.”

Brenning added, “Grant’s really good about not worrying about how hard he is throwing. He has a lot of movement on his fastball. As the game goes on, he naturally gets looser and throws harder.”

Conquering Mount Everett

However, Williams wasn’t throwing as hard as his pitching counterpart on Monday, Clarksville’s 6-foot-4 senior right-hander Donny Everett.

“When you are facing a guy like (Everett), it’s a whole different level,” Williams said. “You just have to step up. It’s definitely more intense. It’s nerve-wracking, especially hitting against him.”

Everett (9-1) – a Vanderbilt University signee who is one of three finalists for the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association Mr. Baseball Award in Class AAA – allowed just two hits, issued one base on balls and struck out six hitters.

However, despite the meager production, Hendrix was pleased with his players’ approach at the plate.

“When we found out we were going to play them, on Friday at practice, we had a sit-down conversation over here under the tree (outside the fence along the third-base line),” Hendrix said. “We told them that you have to stay off of the high fastball and get the ball down. We moved the portable mound up to 45 feet, and we tried to simulate (Everett’s 90-plus-mile-per-hour velocity). Clay (Sanders, a Hendersonville assistant coach) did a great job of pitching, and on Sunday, Britte (Underwood, another Commando assistant coach) did the same. They worked their butts off doing that. I appreciate that. I’m very pleased. Just cut down on your swing, put it in play and hope for the best.

“We went in knowing that if we could score one or two runs, we’d have a chance.”

One run and done

Hendersonville (31-11) – the District 9-AAA Tournament champion – produced baserunners in four different innings and left three stranded in scoring position (two at third base). Everett ended two of those three innings with strikeouts.

“We were just trying to have a big emphasis on the release and seeing it down, because you’re not going to be able to catch up to a fastball up (in or above the strike zone),” Brenning said. “We were trying to hit a fastball early.”

Brown had both Hendersonville hits.

“During practice on Friday and Sunday, our coach moved up a little closer,” Brown said. “I felt like I applied it as much as I could from those two practices into the (batter’s) box.”

The lone run came in the fourth inning as senior Ben Smith drew a one-out base on balls that came on a full-count pitch that was above the strike zone.

Following a strikeout, Brown hit a bloop double down the leftfield line that landed in front of a sliding Luke Chilcutt, the team’s sophomore shortstop.

Smith trotted home moments later as Everett was called for a balk.

“I’m not saying it wasn’t a balk, but it’s a tough way to lose a baseball game,” Wildcat head coach Brian Hetland said. “You want a team to have to earn it, but they put a few more runners on than we did.”

Hendrix added, “(Everett) is pretty good. His breaking ball, he wasn’t throwing it for a lot of strikes, and we got lucky. He didn’t stop one time (in his pitching motion). The guy (umpire) called it. That’s part of it.”

Williams’ will to win

Clarksville (30-11) – the District 10-AAA Tournament runner-up – managed just two hits off of Williams, an infield single by senior Mitch Muhlada with two outs in the third inning and a one-out single up the middle by senior Nolen Milton in the seventh.

“We knew Williams was good,” Hetland said. “When the wind was blowing in, I knew that was going to be a factor. We thought we had more of a strikeout pitcher, but Williams struck out a lot.”

Williams retired the final two hitters with ground balls, the first of which was fielded by Long at shortstop and thrown to senior second baseman Drew Richard for a forceout. That play almost ended the game as Richard threw on to Smith at first base for what would have been a game-ending double play, but Everett was ruled safe as Smith pulled his foot off of first base.

However, the 6-foot-3 right-hander retired the next batter – sophomore Teal Young – on a ground ball back to the mound.

The game lasted just one hour and 20 minutes.

Everett was also on the losing end of a 1-0 setback to end the Wildcats’ season last year, an eighth-inning, sectional loss at Brentwood.

“It was an awesome baseball game with two awesome pitchers,” Hetland said. “I felt like it might go eight or nine innings the way it was going.

“We just didn’t put enough balls in play to give ourselves a chance. Both pitchers threw great. It was a great atmosphere. It was a great crowd. It was a great high-school game.”

A mound of efficiency

Williams (8-1) finished with seven strikeouts and did not issue a base on balls, pitching amidst an array of college and professional scouts who were there to witness Everett’s talent.

“There’s been people watching (Williams) too,” Brenning said. “Our coaches tell us that they are coming to watch (Everett), but they may see us too. Grant definitely got his name on a list out there somewhere.”

Williams threw 60 of his 75 pitches for strikes on Monday.

“It’s probably the best as far as how I’ve been feeling these last two games,” Williams said. “I’ve had more command of three pitches (fastball, curveball and change-up) instead of two. I’ve been working the corners better, and my curveball has been clicking. Everything has been working for me.”

That heightened efficiency has been normal for Williams recently. In three postseason starts (covering 18 innings), he has thrown just 231 pitches, with 73 percent of those resulting in strikes. Williams has allowed just eight hits and two walks in the postseason, while striking out 16 hitters.

“We’ve been playing together for so long,” Brenning said. “I’m a grade younger (than the team’s 10 seniors), but I’ve been playing with them since (the summer) before my freshman year. If we can’t get a hit, we want the next guy to get a hit.

“Seeing Grant throw a game like this makes me just as happy as going 4-for-4 (offensively).”

Hendrix added, “I’m thrilled to death for these young guys. I’m thrilled to death for our baseball program. It’s been a long time since we’ve been here. They are the ones who have to go out and execute. They did a great job.”

Hendersonville advanced to face Wilson Central – a 5-2 winner at Rossview in Monday evening’s other 5-AAA semifinal – for the third time this season in Wednesday evening’s Region 5-AAA championship game. Region champions host one of Friday’s eight Class AAA sectional contests, while the region runner-up squads have to travel for their sectional contests.

Sectional winners move on to next week’s Class AAA State Tournament.

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

 

Clarksville 000 000 0 – 0 2 2

Hendersonville 000 100 x – 1 2 0

Donny Everett and Kendall Tyrell; Grant Williams and Cooper Brenning. WP – Williams (8-1). LP – Everett (9-1). Records: Clarksville 30-11, Hendersonville 31-11.                         

 

Article by Craig Harris (Gallatin News Examiner)

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

HENDERSONVILLE – The Hendersonville High School baseball team shared high fives on Wednesday evening.

The Commandos also enjoyed Little Hugs.

The Hendersonville players weren't familiar with the Hugs.

Honestly, they weren't familiar with championships either, but that didn't deter the Commandos as they won the District 9-AAA Tournament title with a 2-0 victory over visiting Wilson Central at Drakes Creek Park.

"It's our first step," Hendersonville senior third baseman Connor Fischer said. "It was our first goal from the beginning of the year to get to the region (tournament). We made our first step. Now, it's on from here."

Fischer enjoyed two of those Hugs during the team's postgame celebration.

In fact, he estimated that he had four over the course of the evening.

They weren't hugs of the traditional sort though.

He was drinking Little Hug Fruit Barrels, which are eight-ounce plastic bottles shaped like barrels that are filled with fruit-flavored drink.

"It's the first time we've had them," Fischer said. "They're good. They're juice. They brought in a cooler full. They're things you had as a kid."

Commando head coach Mike Hendrix added, "It's like drinking a popsicle."

Hendrix is familiar with the Hugs. Those drinks have been a staple in the program since the early 1990s, though the tradition has been less consistent in recent seasons.

Hendrix's wife – Helenmary – provides the popular drinks for the players.

"My wife has been doing that forever and ever," Hendrix said. "She got kind of fired up coming to a couple of games last week. She even puts up a top 10 list (in the dugout) of why we should win this game."

However, Hendrix doesn't call the juice Little Hugs. In his program, they've long been known as "Cooter Juice."

The celebratory postgame juice came about more as result of the Hendersonville pitching than its recent trend of hot hitting.

Hendersonville outscored its first three postseason opponents by a combined margin of 31-6, but senior right-hander Kyle Schmitt managed to slow the Commando offense on Wednesday.

"They always play us really well," Fischer said. "Last year, they knocked us out (of the district tournament), and we knew they had been playing well. We had also been swinging well. I didn't know it was going to be as close as it was."

Commando junior Grant Williams pitched the first five innings, limiting the Wildcats to three hits while striking out three hitters. Williams (7-1) was on a pitch count on Wednesday after pitching six innings in the team's tournament opener, a 10-3 victory over Station Camp five days earlier.

The right-hander threw just 58 pitches.

Junior Brandon Fuller came on with a 2-0 lead and tossed the final two innings, earning his second save of the season.

"I was nervous," Fuller said. "This was a huge game for us, more than usual. A couple of players just had to tell me to relax, trust my stuff and to do what I've been doing the whole season."

Fuller gave up a sixth-inning single to junior Cullen Smith and hit senior Tony Pfefferle with a pitch, but the left-hander worked out of the jam with a strikeout and a routine ground ball to senior shortstop Justin Long.

"It's first-pitch strikes," Fuller said. "I have to trust my stuff and trust my defense. I have to let them put the ball in play and let them work.

"We're deep. We have a deep pitching staff. We just have to throw strikes and trust our stuff. Our pitching staff is solid. We have faith in everyone."

Fischer added, "They've kept us in every game, whether we are hitting or not."

Fuller retired the final five hitters he faced, ending the game with a strikeout.

"Fuller has done a great job this year," Hendrix – whose squad captured a 3-1 victory over visiting Wilson Central on March 25 – said. "At the beginning of the season, being a junior, we didn't know what we were going to get out of him. We went to Tullahoma that first week of the season, and he pitched well. He was probably a little nervous when he came in (on Wednesday). In the seventh inning, he relaxed."

Fischer led off the bottom of the first inning with a single to centerfield, moved to second base when the ball was mishandled in the outfield and scored when senior Ben Smith lined a double to leftfield.

Long singled to leftfield with two outs in the fifth inning, stole second base and scored on Fischer's single to centerfield.

Both Fischer and Smith had two hits, accounting for four of Hendersonville's six.

"I feel good up there," Fischer said. "I feel like I'm seeing it fine.

"If I don't get a hit, the next guy will get a hit. There's no pressure on us."

The Wildcats (20-10-1) – the No. 3 seed from the 9-AAA South Division – were the defending tournament champions.

The Commandos (30-11) – the No. 1 seed from the 9-AAA North Division – won their first district title since 2003, when the program finished in a tie for third place in the state. Hendersonville had lost in its last two district championship games (in 2005 and 2010).

"I'm so happy for these guys," Hendrix said. "It's been a while since we've won a district tournament. They have something special.

"We started all of these guys as sophomores. Some of them got some playing time as freshmen. They learned playing the summer before their sophomore year and the summer after. To me, the summer is where they really learn. To get our club ready for the springtime, that's where they go work on their skills. All of (the success) comes back to the preseason, working on fundamentals. We stay after them. We preach, 'do what you can do, and don't try to do what you can't.' All of this has come with hard work."

Fischer added, "We're refusing to lose. We don't want to go out the way we went out last year."

Fischer is one of the team's 10 seniors.

"I'm doing this for them," Fuller said of the senior class. "They've earned it. They deserve it.

"This is huge for us. It's a confidence booster. Now, we go into the region and host it at our place, and the fans can come out. That's big."

Hendersonville faces District 10-AAA Tournament runner-up Clarksville at 7 p.m. on Monday in the Region 5-AAA Tournament semifinal round. The semifinal winners move on to Wednesday's regional championship game and will also earn a spot in one of eight Class AAA sectional games on Friday.

Wilson Central travels to face Rossview on Monday for its Region 5-AAA semifinal. Rossview handed Clarksville a 9-5 loss in Thursday evening's 10-AAA championship game.

Wilson Central 000 000 0 – 0 4 0

Hendersonville 100 010 x – 2 6 1

Kyle Schmitt and Chase Ford; Grant Williams, Brandon Fuller (6) and Cooper Brenning. WP – Williams (7-1). LP – Schmitt (7-1). Save – Fuller (2). Records: Wilson Central 20-10-1, Hendersonville 30-11.

The Commandos defeated Wilson Central 2-0 on May 6, 2015 to win the District 9AAA Championship!

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.