COLUMBIA, Tenn. – The Shelbyville Central Golden Eagles (27-10, 7-3) completed the comeback against Coffee County (15-16, 3-7), 3-2, in the first game on Saturday before Columbia Central (19-11, 7-3) scored 11 runs in the third inning en route to a 15-0 run-rule win in five innings to end Shelbyville’s season in the District 9-AAAA Tournament. 

William Bobo started and pitched a complete game for Shelbyville against Coffee County, giving up two unearned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six batters on 99 pitches. 

Isaiah Deadman got the start for the Raiders, lasting 4.1 innings before giving up three runs with two earned on six hits and one walk with five strikeouts on 87 pitches. Colter Neel came on in relief, navigating the final 1.2 innings while giving up just two hits, no runs, and one walk on 22 pitches. 

Coffee County opened the scoring immediately after Cole Pippenger led off by getting on base before he was driven home by Neel, giving the Raiders an early 1-0 lead. 

The visitors doubled their lead in the top of the third when Davis McKenzie reached safely via an error and eventually came around to score to take a 2-0 lead and put the pressure squarely on the Golden Eagles’ bats.

Finally, after four consecutive shutout innings, Shelbyville found a way to plate three runs in the bottom of the fifth and take the lead. William Bobo, who went 2-4 with a pair of stolen bases in game one, ignited the rally by singling himself on base. Stephen Bobo drove his elder brother home for Shelbyville’s first run with an RBI-double to cut the lead in half, 2-1. Brody Lovvorn reached via an error, and then Caden Peacock came through with an RBI-double to drive home Stephen Bobo to tie the game at 2-2. Palmer Edwards put the Golden Eagles ahead for good with his second double of the night, driving Lovvorn home to put Shelbyville in front, 3-2. 

Bobo closed out the Raiders on the mound, putting up two consecutive zeros in the sixth and seventh to end Coffee County’s season and give Shelbyville a rematch with Columbia Central. 

Brody Lovvorn (5), Reager Edwards (8), Caden Peacock (2), Caden Duggin (17), Palmer Edwards (23), Stephen Bobo (15), and William Bobo (11) were named to the All-District 9-4A Team on Saturday.

Colby Stanford

In game two against Columbia, Shelbyville committed four errors and gave up 13 hits while only mustering up three base-knocks in response as Chase Jones’ fourth season at the helm of the Golden Eagles came to a close. 

Palmer Edwards got the start on the mound, lasting 2.0+ innings, giving up seven runs with five earned on six hits and two walks while striking out three batters on 61 pitches. The next three pitchers to come on in relief – Michael Estrada, Blake Bone, and Caden Duggin – were unable to record a single out, giving up a combined eight earned runs on six hits and two walks on 37 total pitches. Brody Lovvorn entered in a 15-0 game, but was finally able to record an out, pitching the final 3.0 innings and giving up just a single base hit with one walk and three strikeouts on 44 pitches. 

For Columbia, Kaden Taylor worked 5.0 shutout-innings, giving up just three hits and two walks with six strikeouts on 86 pitches.

Caden Duggin went 2-3 at the plate with a double, Stephen Bobo drew a walk, Brody Lovvorn went 1-2, and Reager Edwards also worked a free pass. 

Columbia scored one in the top of the first, three in the second, and 11 in the third as the floodgates flew open. Shelbyville was ultimately unable to get anything going at the plate, and the game came to an early end after the bottom of the fifth inning. 

The Lions advance to the District 9-AAAA Championship Game as well as the Region 5-AAAA Tournament. 

Shelbyville’s season comes to a close at 27-10.