UNIONVILLE, Tenn. – Despite trailing 3-2 entering the top of the sixth inning on Tuesday night, the Cascade Champions (17-7, 5-3) rallied for 10 unanswered runs over the final two innings to secure a series sweep in the District 9-AA ‘Battle of Bedford’ series against Community (4-23, 0-8), 12-3. 

“You can’t practice for a rivalry like this between Community and Cascade. I told the boys coming into last night’s game, no matter who’s down that year, it’s always going to be a close game,” Cascade Head Coach Travis Sheffield said postgame, “It’s always going to be a battle. Despite their record, they [Community] have played some really close games this year. I didn’t expect them to play anything less than their best against us, and that’s what they did. They played really good and had us up against the ropes for five innings. I commend our guys for being resilient, being patient, and withstanding the jabs they kept throwing at us. I commend our guys for standing tall and taking those off the chin before finally executing and finding barrels there towards the end of the game.”

Cascade took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first against the Vikings’ starter, Logan Reed, after Jayden Hathcock drove home Caleb Crouch from second on an RBI-single into right.

However, the Vikings responded with a two-out run of their own in the home half. Josh Powers greeted Cascade starter, Wickey Parker, with a hard-hit single into center. Parker struck out the next two batters, but then Masyn Hill placed a pop-fly perfectly in between shortstop and left field to drive home Powers to tie the game at 1-1.

Community then took their first lead of the series in the bottom of the third inning. Hill singled with one out, Dylan Markum doubled into right before Hill was able to come home and score on an infield error to take a 2-1 lead. Isaiah Beech then delivered a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt to double the Vikings’ lead to 3-1. 

Cascade trimmed the lead in half in the top of the fourth after Daymien Maldonado reached safely on a ground ball via a two-out error that allowed Xykaiah Dixon to touch home plate. 

Reed was able to get out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the fifth to keep the Vikings in front, and then Community created a glorious opportunity to extend their lead by loading the bases themselves with two outs. Sheffield countered by bringing his second baseman, Caleb Crouch, to the mound, and Crouch froze Ty Wood with a 3-2 fastball to escape the jam. 

In the top of the sixth, River Maddox led off by reaching safely via an infield error, and then Maldonado moved Maddox over all the way to third on a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt. This allowed Maddox to score the tying run after a pitch went to the backstop, eventually resulting in an Elijah Wesenberg walk. 

With Reed at 110 pitches, Community Head Coach Parker Gunn brought in Josh Powers from centerfield to relive his starter. Jordan Childress greeted Powers with a double to move Wesenberg to third. Crouch grounded out before Wickey Parker was intentionally walked, leading to another Jayden Hathcock RBI-single. This time, Hathcock cleared the bases with some help from the right fielder, and the Champions took the lead for good, 6-3. 

After a Dixon walk, Thomas Demartelaere drove home both Dixon and Hathcock with a two-out single, giving the Champions an 8-3 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. 

“Their guy [Logan Reed] pitched well,” Sheffield said, “He kept us off balance early. I feel like our team gets better as the game goes along, and if we start to wear a pitcher down, eventually we start finding barrels. That’s how it’s been all year long.”

Crouch struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth, leading to Cascade scoring four more runs in the top of the seventh. Maldonado doubled home River Maddox to go up 9-3, then Jordan Childress launched his fifth home run of the year on a 2-run moonshot to left. Finally, Hathcock drove in his third run of the game on a sacrifice fly to punctuate the 12-3 win.

On the mound for Cascade, Wickey Parker went 3.0 innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts on 75 pitches. Jacob Cagle came on in relief, pitching 1.2 innings and giving up three walks with one strikeout on 38 pitches. Crouch followed Cagle, striking out all four batters he faced on 26 pitches before Brody Greene got the final three outs in the seventh. 

At the plate for Community, Powers led off going 1-for-3 with a walk, Masyn Hill went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk, and Dylan Markum finished 1-for-4 with a double. Isaiah Beech went 0-for-1 with an RBI and a HBP.

For Cascade, Childress led off going 3-for-5 with two RBIs, Crouch was 1-for-3 with two walks, and Parker finished 1-for-3 with a walk. Hathcock went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, Demartelaere was 1-for-4 with RBIs, Maddox went 1-for-3 with a walk, and Maldonado finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. 

Community travels to Cornersville and Tullahoma on Thursday and Friday to close out the regular season before taking on Chapel Hill in the District 9-AA play-in game next week.

Cascade locks up the No. 3 seed in the District 9-AA Tournament, and after a trip to Huntland on Friday night, the Champions travel to No. 2 seed Summertown next week for the first round.