Senior pitcher MoMo Stewart struck out 14 in six innings pitched. (T-G Photos by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge]

Cascade and Eagleville squared off in a showdown in Wartrace on Monday night featuring the top two ace pitchers in District 9-A.

The cool temperatures didn't prevent either MoMo Stewart or James Blackwell from blazing the pill past hitters as they combined for 21 strikeouts. However, baseball is a team sport and Stewart got the aid necessary from his teammates to outlast Blackwell and the Eagles in a 3-2 Cascade win.

"They're both not only good pitchers but also good baseball players and kids," said Champion coach Chris Parker, who coached both during the TBCA Showcase last June. "You kind of think in the back of your mind that it's going to be a close one-run, two-run ballgame and that's exactly what it was.

"They're two good players and both of them are going to go on and play at the next level in some form or fashion."

Stewart retired the first six hitters he faced in order and seven of the initial nine outs came via strikeout. He gave up six hits, walked two and totaled 14 Ks in six innings of work. Josh Brown worked a hitless seventh to earn the save.

Blackwell wasn't intimidated by the defending district champs. He fanned seven and walked but one in a complete-game performance.

Adolescents often need structure to maintain productivity, but Cascade was able to shrug off the nuances of spring break with a solid overall effort.

"You kind of get out of your routine and your rhythm and the things you do," Parker said of the vacation. "We try to stress that. All the kids are going around calling each other and getting each other up in the morning and doing some things. Some of them come up and do some little things on the field -- take ground balls, get some swings in the cage -- and that's kind of what we're doing as a team."

Stewart reached via an error in the first inning and scored thanks to a two-out base hit by Kyle Clanton.

Matt Bain opened the bottom of the fourth up with a base knock and came home when Zack Hill scorched a double to right-center field two pitches later.

Corey Mullins tripled to lead off the fifth. Stewart then chopped a ball into the ground and Mullins broke on contact and beat the throw to the plate. That proved to be the difference-maker and Cascade improved to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in 9-A.

Mullins paired his triple with a single and stole two bases. Bain and Hill finished with two hits apiece as well in a nine-hit attack.

Kyle Taylor singled twice for Eagleville.

Despite the loss, the Rutherford County boys likely received a boost of confidence in the one-run affair and that might carry over to today's rematch in Eagleville at 6.

"Eagleville's got a new coach and they fight and they scrap and they fight and they'll be ready to play tomorrow," Parker said. "Playing close right here and battling with Stewart might give them a little more fight tomorrow. I don't know that, but they'll be ready to play and I hope we will too."