Bryant Ks 14, Cascade in 9-A finals

Cascade's Blake Harvey barely gets under a tag at third base. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

MURFREESBORO -- Coach Chris Parker urged his Cascade Champions to come out and show everyone who the best team in District 9-A is before the winners' bracket final versus tournament host Middle Tennessee Christian.

The last time the two teams faced off back in early April, the Cougars ended the Champs' 22-game district winning streak and something had to give.

Third-ranked Cascade scored in five of six innings and got a dominant pitching performance from Justin Bryant to down Middle Tennessee Christian 9-1 and advance to Wednesday's championship at 4.

The Champs now have the opportunity to win back-to-back 9-A crowns and already had a seat in the Region 5-A semifinals on Monday. The district winner hosts the runner-up from 10-A and visa versa.

"It just says a lot about these kids and about where our program is right now," Parker said. "We want to play at home. We're glad to be in the region, but we want to play at the Ballpark in Bell Buckle on Monday."

Champion baserunner Kyle Clanton is thrown out at home after a botched squeeze bunt. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

After spending much of his career working as a utility infielder, Bryant emerged a bonified mound presence this season only a recurring back problem kept the senior right-hander from logging many innings. That inexperience showed some in the early going as he walked the bases loaded before calming down to strike out Andrew Kuhn and coax Logan Siler into a pop up to center field.

"He struggled with his off-speed stuff at the beginning of the game, but he found it later on," Parker said. "He got stronger and stronger and got more pop as the game went along and got more comfortable out there. He did an outstanding job for us. He kept his composure mentally and helped us a great deal."

Bryant was lights out from the second inning on. He finished with 14 strikeouts while walking five and allowing two hits. Aside from a Taylor Beckham line out to left and Timmy Hendrix' run-scoring triple, MTC (22-9) rarely made solid contact.

"(Bryant)'s just a kid that's been battling injuries all year long," Parker said. "He sits in front of me sometimes at church, he sits behind me sometimes. I think we're both praying about the same thing sometimes, and some of them were answered tonight."

Corey Mullins singled and scored on hit by Kyle Clanton to get the blood flowing for Cascade (24-5) in the bottom of the first. Nick Batts walked and later scored on a wild pitch to put them up 2-0.

Cascade catcher Zack Hill hangs on to apply a tag on the lowered shoulder of MTC's Timmy Hendrix. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

In the second, Matt Bain walked, stole second base and came home on a MoMo Stewart single.

Bryant helped himself with a one-out walk in the third and courtesy runner Blake Harvey scored on another wild pitch to put them up 4-1.

"Anybody that's ever played this game knows it's a lot easier to play with a lead," Parker said. "You can be a lot more aggressive on the bases. It's a little bit easier to play defense. You don't have as much pressure on your pitching. It just helps you in so many different ways."

Josh Brown lined an RBI single to right field and Zack Hill squeezed in a single in the 5-6 hole to plate two runs to key a three-run fifth that put the game away.

Mullins and Clanton both finished with two hits.

Kuhn was the losing pitcher.

The Eagleville/Forrest winner faces MTC in the losers' bracket final tonight.