Follow @PBRTennessee

By Matt Byrd
Tennessee Director of Scouting

Game two of the day on Friday featured CPA taking on Knoxville Catholic in the Class AA State Championship game at Middle Tennessee State University. What transpired was a pitcher’s duel as CPA claimed the AA title with a 2-1 victory.

CPA struck first in the top of the third when Taylor Phillips launched a home run to left to give the Lions a 1-0 lead, but Knoxville Catholic answered quickly in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Adam Aucker was hit by a pitch and Kole Cottam walked to put runners at first and second. After a wild pitch by CPA starter Devin McKnight moved the runners up a base, Dominic Souder’s sacrifice fly tied the game at 1-1.

CPA struck back quickly to take the lead in the top of the fourth when Sam Knell was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Houston Nichols laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to second. Jacob Gunter followed with a single to left to move Knell to third, and he came around to score when Jacob Webster singled up the middle for a 2-1 CPA lead.

From there on out the story was McKnight. The Irish had the tying run in scoring position with one out in both the fourth and sixth innings, but McKnight made pitches to get out of the jams to preserve the 2-1 lead. McKnight retired the side in order in the seventh to give CPA the Class AA State Title.

CPA

Phillips HR, RBI
Webster 2-for-3, RBI
WP – McKnight 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 K