Jackets Shut Down Andrews To Take Over 1st In SMC

Hayesville — On a cool Tuesday evening in the valley, Hayesville got a performance on the mound folks won’t soon forget.

 

Jackson Sellers was in complete control from the first pitch, striking out 11 and not allowing a hit across five innings as the Yellow Jackets rolled past Andrews, 11-1.

 

The Wildcats scratched across their only run in the top of the first, taking advantage of a Hayesville miscue. But that was about the only bright spot for Andrews, as Sellers quickly settled in and shut the door the rest of the way.

 

Hayesville wasted little time answering.

 

In the bottom of the first, Sellers helped his own cause with a double down the left field line, and Adrian Fuentes followed with a double of his own to center. A pair of Andrews errors added to the damage, and just like that, the Yellow Jackets had control.

 

The Jackets kept their foot on the gas in the second. Ben Bethel and Peyton McGaha each laced doubles, and Sellers brought another run home with a groundout to stretch the lead.

 

By the third inning, Hayesville had turned the game into a rout. Rhett Sellers sparked the inning with a double to right, Bethel followed with a triple to left, and another Andrews error allowed yet another run to cross the plate.

 

On the mound, Andrews starter Logan Hyde battled through three innings but was tagged for nine runs, six of them earned, on seven hits.

 

At the plate, Hayesville finished with 10 hits and showed patience throughout, drawing six walks. Sellers led the way with four RBIs while also collecting a pair of hits. Bethel added two hits of his own, including a triple, and caused havoc on the basepaths with three stolen bases as the Jackets swiped four bags on the night.

 

Hayesville will look to carry the momentum into Friday, when the two teams meet again, this time in Andrews.