By Chris McDaniel
PBR Tennessee Scout

Knoxville, TN – As one of the only games played in the Knoxville area last evening, the weather held off at Hardin Valley Academy and gave us a great evening of baseball between District 4 foes as Hardin Valley squared off against Maryville in a hard-fought 5-4 victory for the Hawks.

Hardin Valley has several players in the class of 2015 that are committed to various programs across the state, such as University of Tennessee, ETSU, Lincoln Memorial University, Carson Newman University, Maryville College, and Walters State CC.  Hardin Valley’s collegiate prospects are not only from the 2015 class as they have two players in the class of 2016 receiving interest from Division I programs, and also a prospect in the class of 2018.

I spoke with Maryville assistant coach, Landon Coleman, before the game started.  He informed that they were going to start class of 2017 RHP, Evan Porter.  Porter was in for some stiff competition toeing the rubber against 2015 RHP, and ETSU signee, Matt Turner. 

Hardin Valley was the first to break through in the bottom of the second when RF Matt Martin reached on a fielder’s choice and was knocked in by DH Ryder Green to take a 1-0 lead.

Maryville answered in the top of the third.  After two quick outs, 1B Matt Young reached on what would be his first of two base on balls of the night.  He scored on a ringing double off the bat of SS Josh Lambert.  Lambert’s double and a walk to the next batter would end the night of Turner and tie the game 1-1.

Hardin Valley regained the lead in the bottom half thanks to Dylan Harris.  Harris knocked in Seth Hunt, after he singled, with a stand up triple that brought the crowd to their feet.  Harris would score on a ground out from Tyler Thompson to give Hardin Valley a 3-1 lead.

The score would remain 3-1 until Maryville mounted a rally in the top of the seventh.

Harris entered in the top of the seventh looking for the save for Hardin Valley.  He got the first batter on a ground ball to second base.  After a walk to Matt Young, Lambert laced a single up the middle.  Drake Martin followed with a line drive into right scoring Young and moving Lambert to third.  Pinch hitter, Cole Carruthers, executed a perfect delay squeeze that scored Lambert and tied the game.  LF Zack Pitt would put the Rebels up in the next at bat, driving in Martin with a single to give Maryville a 4-3 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh.

Hardin Valley didn’t go quietly.  Matt Martin would reach on an error. Green would then execute a perfect slash play to get Martin to third and would be relieved for a pinch-runner. Dom Leo laced a single that would score Martin and a throwing error to third would allow the pinch runner to score the game winning run from first base in dramatic walk-off fashion.

Scouting notes from this game will be posted in the PBR Tennessee Scout Blog which will debut on Monday, March 16.