Hayesville Baseball Round 2 Playoff Preview
Business June 16, 2021
Round 1 Recap:
The Yellow Jackets cruised to victory in their first game of the NCHSAA playoffs. Hayesville’s ace was on the mound and other than giving up just one extra-base hit in the game. Jeremy Stewart was nearly unhittable, especially as the game got later. In fact, Stewart struck out 10 out of the last 13 batters he faced in the game. Hayesville’s offense got off to a strong start scoring three runs in the first inning en route to 6 in the game. With Stewart holding Christ the King to just one run Hayesville’s offense provided plenty.
Round 2 Matchup:
Cade Denton
Hayesville is taking the Mountain Island Charter Raptors in round 2 of the playoffs. The Raptors had a tough round 1 game that they had to come from behind to win. After giving up two first-inning runs the Raptors Tyler Crowe shut down North Stanly for the rest of the game. They chipped away at the lead 1 run at a time. Before finally scoring on a passed ball to win in a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh. Mountain Island only got three hits in the first round all coming from their leading hitter Cole Hart. Hart also scored all three of the Raptors runs in the game.
Possible Pitcher Mountain Island: Edge to the Raptors
Tyler Crowe threw 74 pitches in the first round so that lets us know that he will not be eligible to pitch in this game. The same for Hayesville with Jeremy Stewart who threw 105 pitches will not be available. Ethan Suchenski pitched just one inning and threw only 14 pitches in round 1. The best bet would be Suchenski will be on the mound for the Raptors as he is second on the team in innings pitched. Suchenski could be the best pitcher Hayesville has seen this year. His fastball has been gunned topping out at 88. He also has a curveball/slider and changeup both in the low 70’s to round out his 3-pitch repertoire.
Possible Pitcher Hayesville:
Hayesville is most likely to start one of two guys either Clayton Vandiver or Eli Roberts. Both have pitched really well at times this year. As well both have struggled at times. I would anticipate both could pitch in this game. It will be important for Hayesville’s defense to be strong behind them as neither pitcher are big strikeout guys.
Offensive outlook: Edge to the Yellow Jackets
Mountain Island is not super strong offensively with only 4 players batting over .300. While Hayesvilles has six players hitting over .300. The Raptors do have 8 home runs on the year so they boast a little power. Of course, Hayesville has start center field Connor Bradley who has 6 home runs on the year. As well the team has a total of 11 on the year. As well Hayesville averages 9.4 runs a game while the Raptors only score 6.5 a game.
Prediction: Hayesville wins 4-3
The Yellow Jackets have a stout top-of-the-lineup that is great a producing run. While the rest of the lineup has gotten timely hits in big spots all year. Lastly, the home-field advantage could end being a huge factor for Hayesville.
Hayesville Baseball 1st Round Preview
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports June 14, 2021
.The Hayesville Yellow Jackets finished the regular season 13-1 ranked 4th in all of 1A. Normally that would guarantee a great seed with several home games for playoffs. This year though with the NCHSAA’s crazy seeding plan it was no guarantee. Each of the western regions 8 conference winners would get drawn randomly to see who got priority seeding. Well, the luck was on Hayesville’s sides as they drew the #1 overall seed out of the west. This guarantees as long as the Yellow Jackets win they will get to be the home team all the way until the state championship game.
Hayesville will be hosting the visiting Christ the King Crusaders on Tuesday at 3:30. The Crusaders have had an up and down season but finished on a strong note winning their last four games in a row to sneak into the playoffs. At 9-5, the Crusaders will be the underdogs in this matchup but have enough to give Hayesville a tough game if the Yellow Jackets don’t bring their best.
Jeremy Stewart
Probable Pitching Matchup:
Hayesville will almost definitely start Jeremy Stewart who has had an outstanding season for the Yellow Jackets on the mound. Stewart has started 7 games this year, with 2 complete game shutouts, 1 no-hitter, an ERA of .84, and 49 K’s in 41.2 innings pitched. Christ the King will start somebody, who that might be is anyone’s guess. Christian Kalac has the lowest ERA on the team at 2.14 and averages almost two strikeouts an inning. Parker Shipman has pitched more innings this year than anyone on the team but has a 5.38 ERA. As well the Crusaders do not have one pitcher on their staff that has pitched a complete 7 inning game this year.
It is highly likely Hayesville will see at least one of Kalac or Shipman pitch in the game. Yet the Crusaders also have two senior pitchers in Joseph Sides and Joseph Flynn who have 8 and 6 appearances respectively this year. Christ the King often throws 2 or 3 of these 4 pitchers in games. Hayesville will need to be aggressive and attack whichever pitcher starts. As the Crusaders are well accustomed to pitching multiple players and probably won’t let one guy lose the game for them.
Offensive matchup:
Avery Leatherwood
Hayesville:
Everyone knows Hayesville is led by Connor Bradley their leadoff hitter who is batting .619 on the year with 6 HRs and 7 doubles. Behind him hitting in the two-hole is the sophomore catcher Avery Leatherwood. He has had a breakout year hitting .442 with five doubles and seventeen RBI’s. Leatherwood sure looks like he will be ready to carry the offensive load for Hayesville next year. He has stepped up in a big way this year seemingly coming up with clutch hits whenever Hayesville has needed it. Whether it was his walk-off against Hiwassee Dam or his triple against Murphy to put himself in scoring position to tie the game.
Hayesville will need to continue to come up clutch at the plate as they have most of the year. After their top three hitters, they are not super consistent but have been able to come up with timely hits when they have needed them all year.
Christ the King:
With a team batting average of .307, the Crusaders are not super potent on offense. They have gotten the job done as of late. Combing for 53 runs in their last four games. Their bats are getting hot at just the right time of the year. They do not have much home run power with only 2 on the year but it’s much more of a team effort to get runs in. They are led on offense by Joseph Sides batting .417 and Joseph Flynn batting .415 on the year. Stewart will have to be alert on the mound as the Crusaders have stolen 63 bases on the year,. Often times that is what leads to their run production in close games.
Prediction: Hayesville win 6-0
Jeremy Stewart has had a historic year on the mound for Hayesville. He should be expected to have a great outing on the mound. The Crusaders have struggled a little against elite pitchers this year and Stewart is in that category. As well not having much of a scouting report on Stewart should give the Yellow Jackets an upper hand.
Hayesville Calm Cool Collected and Conference Champions
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports June 9, 2021
Photo Credit Brooke Leatherwood
The Hayesville Yellow Jackets hosted the Murphy Bulldogs in the de facto conference championship on Tuesday afternoon. Murphy needed a win to tie Hayesville for 1st in conference with each team having one game left. Hayesville needed a win to clinch the outright conference championship and priority seeding in the playoffs. Hayesville trailed the entire game not having led once until the very last at-bat of the game.
Avery Leatherwoods triple.
Murphy got the game started with a bang Briggs Cornwell hit a two-run home run. It was a monster shot that cleared the centerfield fence as well as the trees beyond it. Cornwell celebrated with a bat flip and cleat stomp at home plate that served to further ignite already tense rivalry. Hayesville’s starting pitcher threw a little chin music to the next batter on the first pitch, just to let Murphy know Cornwell’s antics were not ok with the Hayesville team.
Hayesville would strike back in the bottom of the second to tie it up at 2-2. Yet Murphy would immediately regain their lead scoring two in the top of the third. Then a lighting/rain delay would last for an hour before teams would retake the field in the bottom of the third. Murphy would again extend their lead with one more run in the top of the fifth to make it 5-2. Hayesville would also scrape one run across in the fifth to take it back to just trailing two runs 5-3.
Eli Roberts delivers the pitch.
Eli Roberts would come in relief with runners on the corner in the top of the sixth and strike out the last batter to escape the inning. He would also pitch a scoreless inning to keep the Yellow Jackets within striking distance in the game. Murphy would bring on Dawson Hensley to close out the game for Murphy. Hayesville was at the top of their order though and Connor Bradley was walked to start the inning. Then Avery Leatherwood hit a standup triple to score pinch-runner Mason Cook. Jeremy Stewart would come up next and walk. Then the magic happened when senior Clayton Vandiver hit a walk-off double to win not only the game but the outright conference championship for Hayesville 6-5.
Hayesville Notable Stats:
Eli Roberts: 1.1 IP, 0 runs, 1 K, W
Avery Leatherwood: 2-4 batting with 1 triple, 2 RBI’s, 1 R
Connor Bradley: 2-2 batting, 2 doubles, 2 walks, 1 R
Clayton Vandiver: 1-3 batting, walk-off 2 RBI double
Postgame interview with Avery Leatherwood and Clayton Vandiver:
Hayesville will next play Thursday, June 11th hosting the Robbinsville Black Knights in the season finale. To get updates or see how the Yellow Jackets have done tune in to all the latest FYN sports coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at https://claync.fetchyournews.com/category/teamfynsports
Hayesville Takes Care Of Business Beating Swain
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports June 1, 2021
The Hayesville Yellow Jackets took on the visiting Swain Maroon Devils on Tuesday night. Hayesville, undefeated on the year, had previously beaten Swain 10-1 earlier in the season. This game was much closer though with Swain pushing Hayesville for all seven innings. The Yellow Jackets were able to secure victory though with a strong pitching performance and timely hitting. Winning the game 4-2 Hayesville continues their streak with only 3 regular-season games left.
Jeremy Stewart got the start on the mound and as Hayesville fans have been used to all seen, Stewart dominated. Pitching a complete game not allowing a single earned run and pitching his way out of any trouble. He did have help in the game from his defense even though there were a couple of errors. Especially in the third inning as Avery Leatherwood the catcher for Hayesville gunned a runner out at third with a great throw. As well Connor Bradley made a great catch on the run that looked like it could have been an extra-base hit with a runner on. Stewart also had an unusual day with 4 ground-outs to him but he defended each of them perfectly.
Offensively the Yellow Jackets were not as potent as we are used to seeing. They got off to a great start scoring two runs in the first inning. Avery Leatherwood doubled and was driven in by Jeremy Stewart. Then Kyle Lunsford reached on an error, but a hard-hit ball that scored Stewart. This gave Hayesville an early 2-0 lead. Leading off the third inning Connor Bradley hit an opposite-field home run, the first in Hayesville’s new stadium. Then Stewart scored again on a Clayton Vandiver single to give Hayesville a 4-0 lead. Vandiver almost scored himself on a Kyle Lunsford single but was out on a close play at the plate.
Hayesville’s 4 runs were just enough as Swain was only able to manage 2 runs themselves. Stewart’s big day scoring two runs himself and allowing only 2 unearned runs while striking out six was key to Hayesville’s victory. Hayesville only has 3 games left in the regular season with just a 1 game lead in the conference standings. Murphy trails them in second place but their second matchup of the season is scheduled for next Tuesday.
Hayesville Notable Performances:
Jeremy Stewart: Complete game pitching, 6 K’s, 0 earned runs, scored 2 runs on offense
Connor Bradley: 1-2 HR batting
Hayesville’s next game will be this Thursday, June 3rd hosting the Hiwassee Dam Eagles. To get updates or see how the Yellow Jackets have done tune in to all the latest FYN sports coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at https://claync.fetchyournews.com/category/teamfynsports
New Field Same Winning Ways for Hayesville
Business May 28, 2021
Photo Credit: Brooke Leatherwood
The Hayesville Yellow Jackets opened their brand new state-of-the-art stadium on Thursday afternoon. Hayesville had a nice pregame ceremony to commemorate the special day. Once the first game started though it was all business from the #1 state-ranked Yellow Jackets. Double Headers are played as 5 inning games, and Hayesville made quick work of the visiting Braves in both games. Hayesville won the first game 8-0 and the second game 9-0 to stay undefeated on the season.
Game 1:
Wayne Barter takes his lead off third base.
In-game one of the doubleheaders, Jeremy Stewart got the start on the mound and delivered on his all-time best performances. He was one pitch away from throwing a perfect game, hitting a batter in the fourth inning. That would be the only base runner the entire game though for Cherokee. He completed the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with a strikeout though to complete a no-hitter.
Offensively the Yellow Jackets were strong in game one and probably would have scored a few more runs. Yet several times throughout the game hard-hit ball was hit right to a Braves defender for an out. In the second inning, we saw a Hayesville have back-to-back triples from Connor Bradley and Avery Leatherwood. Cade Denton was the only Yellow Jacket with two hits in game one, also driving in multiple runs. Overall it was unimportant as Hayesville would have only needed one run in the game. As Jeremy Stewart pitched a dominating performance that completely stifled the Braves.
Game 2:
Avery Leatherwood locked in before he hits his triple.
In-game two Hayesville would bat first playing as the away team in the second game of the doubleheader. Hayesville got off to a fast start as Bradley and Leatherwood both got on. Then before ever taking the mound as the starting pitcher Clayton Vandiver Helped himself out big time with a 2RBI triple. This would be the first of two triple in the game for Vandiver who had a big game for Hayesville. Eli Roberts, Avery Leatherwood, and Jeremy Stewart would all have multi-hit games en route to Hayesville scoring 11 runs in game 2.
As previously said, Clayton Vandiver was the starting pitcher in game two and turned in another great performance. After a shaky first inning with two hit batters, Vandiver would settle in to pitch a great game for Hayesville. He ended the first inning with a strikeout to get out of the jam, then would go on to get the next six Cherokee batters in a row out. He was one play away from matching Jeremy Stewart with a no-hitter of his own. With two outs in the last inning, an error led to the next batter get a base hit. As is though it was great performance overall and a great way to end the grand opening of Hayesville’s field with two wins on the day.
Hayesville will next play on Tuesday, June 1st hosting the Swain Maroon Devils. To get updates or see how the Yellow Jackets have done tune in to all the latest FYN sports coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at https://claync.fetchyournews.com/category/teamfynsports
Yellow Jackets Keep Rolling
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports May 22, 2021
The Hayesville Yellow Jackets played their first home game of the year on Friday, hosting Rosman. This was their second matchup of the year, with Hayesville winning the first game 8-1. This game was much of the same with the Yellow Jackets dominating from start to finish. The game only took 5 innings as Hayesville run-ruled Rosman winning 11-0.
Cade Denton drives one for a hit.
It was another dominating performance on the mound for Jeremy Stewart as he pitched all five innings in the game. He did not give up a single run in the game, and only gave up one hit the entire game. Also striking out six batters on the day several to get out a few minor jams, Stewart gave Rosman almost no chance. The Yellow Jacket defense did struggle with three errors for an unusual defensive performance from their usually strong defense. Yet Rosman could never capitalize going scoreless for the day.
Hayesville had another strong day offensively scoring 11 runs in just 4 innings. After getting held scoreless in the first Hayesvilles offense exploded for 4 in the 2nd inning. Following that up with 5 in the 3rd inning and 2 more in the 4th inning. The Yellow Jackets offense was paced once again by Connor Bradley. He had 2 hits on the day a double and monstrous grand slam, in all he had 5 RBI’s on the day. One has to wonder what kind of crazy home run total Bradley might put up if Hayesville was playing a full season. As is he has 5 home runs on the year to lead all of 1A NC baseball. Bradley Also leads the state in batting average at.731 and runs with 16.
Kyle Lunsford scores a run as a part of his big offensive day.
Besides Bradley, it seems on any given day the Yellow Jackets will strong performances from anyone in their lineup. On Friday it was Kyle Lunsford and Peyton Hunt, who both had two hits, two runs, and Hunt had 3 RBI’s on the day. Performances like this are what is making Hayesville so dangerous this baseball season. The conference knows what Jeremy Stewart and Connor Bradley bring to the Hayesville team. Hayesville though is getting strong performances regularly from players like Clayton Vandiver, and Avery Leatherwood to go along with Hunt and Lunsford.
Hayesville is now at the halfway point of their season games-wise, remaining undefeated at 7-0. They have a one-game lead in the conference standings over Murphy. They are in control of their own destiny at this point and rank 2nd in all of 1A baseball. Their next game will be an important one as they host the Andrews Wildcats on Monday. The Wildcats are on the rise this year currently sitting at third place in the conference. To get updates or see how the Yellow Jackets have done tune in to all the latest FYN sports coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at https://claync.fetchyournews.com/category/teamfynsports
Bradley Bomb Leads Hayesville to Victory
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports May 20, 2021
The Hayesville Yellow Jackets traveled to Robbinsville on Tuesday for their last away game of the season. Many of their originally scheduled home games have been moved to be away games as they await the opening of their brand new field next week. After coming off a big win over their rival Murphy the Yellow Jackets did not play their best game on Tuesday. It was enough to get the win though, beating the Black Knights 3-0 to stay undefeated.
Eli Roberts throws a runner out at home.
1st Inning:
Connor Bradley started the game off with a single to right field. Yet that was the only action for the Yellow Jackets in the inning as the next three batters struck out. Robbinsville had a similar start though as they got their leadoff batter on base via a walk. Their lineup though did a little better trying to advance the runner. They hit a double but a great throw by Eli Roberts got the runner out at home plate to keep the Black Knights from scoring. A ground then ended the inning.
2nd Inning:
The Yellow Jacket offense had no success in the second inning going down in order. Robbinsville got two runners on in the second, but once again could not get either across to score. Give credit to Hayesville pitcher Clayton Vandiver who made a few mistakes throughout the game whether it was giving up a walk or hit batter. He was able to pitch out of each and every Jam.
3rd Inning:
Eli Roberts was hit by a pitch to get on base to start the inning. Then after a strikeout, Connor Bradley Hayesville’s leadoff hitter was back up to the plate. He delivered with a two-run home run, his fourth home run of the year. This gave Hayesville a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the third. Robbinsville got one runner on base inning the inning via a walk but had no other action.
Connor Bradley hits a two run home run.
4th Inning:
Kyle Lunsford led the inning off with a single then was sacrificed over two second on a good bunt by Cade Denton. Peyton Hunt singled but it wasn’t deep enough to score Lunsford. The next two batters struck out to leave Lunsford stranded at third. For the fourth inning in a row, Robbinsville got a runner on base but with some crafty pitching, Clayton Vandiver continued to hold the Black Knights scoreless.
5th Inning:
Connor Bradley singled to start the inning, followed by an error that got Avery Leatherwood on but Bradley was out at second. With Leatherwood on second, a hard single by Jeremy Stewart scored him to give Hayesville a 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Robbinsville got a runner on but were still held scoreless.
6th Inning:
Hayesville singled in the top of the sixth but were unable to score. Robbinsville looked like they might finally score but a big strikeout by Vandiver left two Black Knights stranded on base.
7th Inning:
The Yellow Jackets did get two runners on in the inning via walks but were held scoreless in the inning. They went into the bottom of the 7th with a narrow 3-0 lead. Things looked good for Robbinsville as their leadoff hitter got on base to start the inning. A double play though quickly ended any thoughts of a comeback. As Vandiver then finished the game off with a strikeout for a complete game shutout.
Hayesville Notable Stats:
Clayton Vandiver: complete-game shutout pitching, 8 strikeouts
Connor Bradley: 3-4 hitting, 1HR, 1R, 2 RBI’s
Hayesville will next play on Friday, May 21st hosting the Rosman Tigers. To get updates or see how the Yellow Jackets have done tune in to all the latest FYN sports coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at https://claync.fetchyournews.com/category/teamfynsports
Yellow Jackets Take a Bite Out of the Bulldogs
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports May 15, 2021
The Hayesville Yellow Jackets traveled to Cherokee county to take on their rival the Murphy Bulldogs. Many expect these two teams to battle it out this year for the conference championship. Hayesville has been playing great baseball and came into the game 4-0. While Murphy is coming off a state championship in football and is just really getting their season started. It showed as Hayesville was the sharper team in most facets of the game. Hayesville won the game 10-1 and now sits alone at the top of the conference as the last undefeated team.
1st Inning:
The Yellow Jackets got off to a good start in the first inning, Connor Bradley led off the game with a single. Bradley then stole second, then Avery Leatherwood hit a slow grounder up the middle. The shortstop came up with it but the Bulldogs couldn’t make the play at first. While this was happening Bradley was racing all the way from second to home, sliding in just underneath the catcher’s tag. This gave the Yellow Jackets an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning Murphy’s lead-off runner got on with a drop third strike. By the time there were two outs in the inning he had got all the way around to third. He attempted a steal of home and would have been safe had Murphys batter not fouled off the pitch. Then Jeremy Stewart struck the batter out two pitches later to end the inning.
2nd Inning:
The Yellow Jacket offense picked up where it left off and quickly loaded the bases with their first three batters. Avery Leatherwood smoked a 2-RBI single to increase the Yellow Jacket lead. The Yellow Jackets went into the bottom of the second with a 3-0 lead. Murphy’s lead-off hitter got on to start the inning. The Yellow Jacket defense responded well though with a 1-6-3 double to clear the bases. Stewart followed it up with a strikeout to end the inning.
Clayton Vandivers clutch RBI single.
3rd Inning:
Hayesville got three runners on in the top of the third but stranded them all, getting held scoreless in the inning. Murphy went down quickly in the bottom of the third though, with Stewart striking out two.
4th Inning:
Connor Bradley walked to start the 4th, an RBI double from Hayesville catcher Avery Leatherwood scored Bradley. Hayesville’s next batter would walk, then Clayton Vandiver hit a single followed by an error from Murphy’s right fielder that allowed two Hayesville runs. The Yellow Jackets now led 6-0 going into the bottom of the fourth. Another two strikeouts by Stewart were part of a 1-2-3 inning by Hayesville.
Connor Bradley’s reaction to his diving catch.
5th Inning:
The fifth inning was the fastest of the game as both teams only had three batters in the fifth inning. The game remained 6-0 Hayesville going into the 6th inning. Connor Bradley did prevent an extra-base hit with a diving catch in center field to end the inning.
6th Inning:
The Yellow Jackets offense came back to life as they scored three more runs in the inning to increase their lead. Kyle Lunsford had an RBI single and Cade Denton had a 2-RBI single in the inning. Murphy would finally score a run in the 6th inning, as Stewart walked two and had a hit batter in the inning. Stewart would pitch out of the jam only giving up one run to the Bulldogs. Hayesville would go into the last inning leading 9-1.
1 Avery Leatherwoods 3 hits on the day.
7th Inning:
Hayesville would get one last insurance run though has Peyton Hunt doubled to lead off the inning. The next two batters were retired as it looked like Hayesville would leave hunt stranded at second. Avery Leatherwood would come up clutch with his third RBI hit in the game. His single allowed Hunt to get and increase the Yellow Jacket lead to 10-1. In the bottom of the inning, Stewart would allow one runner on. They would not get past first base though as a ground out ended the game. Hayesville winning 10-1.
Postgame Interview with Star Pitcher Jeremy Stewart:
Quotes from Hayesville head coach Jeff Vardo:
“All 11 contributed today, we battled hard today.”
“The seniors as they have all year provided good leadership, Connor Bradley is not only leading us at the plate but defensively has done a great job. Jeremy Stewart took the mound today, threw really well, was in control of the game. Clayton Vandiver got a big base hit when were making a big run, that was a momentum keeper.”
“I just hope we can stay healthy, keep working hard and get better”
Hayesville Notable Stats:
Jeremy Stewart: complete-game pitching, 8 strikeouts, only allowed two hits.
Connor Bradley: 3-3 hitting, 1BB, 3R’s scored
Avery Leatherwood:3-5 hitting, reached base each at-bat, 4RBI’s, 2R’s
Hayesville will next play on Tuesday, May 18th at the Robbinsville Black Knights. To get updates or see how the Yellow Jackets have done tune in to all the latest FYN sports coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at https://claync.fetchyournews.com/category/teamfynsports
Photo Credit: Brooke Leatherwood
Seniors Power Yellow Jackets to 4th Straight Win.
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports May 12, 2021
The Hayesville Yellow Jackets traveled to Hiwassee Dam on Tuesday afternoon for their fourth straight conference road game. The Yellow Jacket offense was powered by four home runs on the day. Great pitching and defense by Hayesville only allowed four base runners all game by the Eagles. Hayesville would continue their undefeated streak winning 9-0.
1st Inning:
Connor Bradley would get a base hit to start the game a part of his perfect 4-4 day at the plate. Jeremy Stewart would get on base as well. For the first time all year though, Hayesville would not score in the top of the first. Clayton Vandiver got his first start of the year on the mound a pitched a good first inning. He did all himself in the first inning as well with two strikeouts and a ground out back to him in the first inning.
Connor Bradley at the plate.
2nd Inning:
In the second inning, Hayesville would get their offense started, Avery Leatherwood would lead off with a single. One batter later a good sacrifice bunt by Eli Roberts would move Leatherwood to second. Dakota Matheson would get on getting Hayesville back to the top of the order. Connor Bradley would do the rest launching a 3-run home run to give Hayesville their first lead. In the bottom of the inning, Vandiver would give his only hit of the game to the second batter of the inning. A flyout back to him and a strikeout would help him escape the inning unscathed.
3rd Inning:
Jeremy Stewart led off the inning with a homerun continuing his hot streak at the plate. That was the only scoring for Hayesville in the inning though giving them a 4-0 lead. Vandiver would pitch a perfect inning in the bottom of the inning striking out all three batters he faced.
4th Inning:
Hayesville with the bottom of the order up would go down 1-2-3 in the top of the inning. Vandiver would pitch another 1-2-3 inning of his own though to keep the Eagles off the board.
Clayton Vandiver at the plate.
5th Inning:
Hayesville only with a 4-0 lead in a closer than expected game would explode in the fifth inning. Connor Bradley would single to start the inning followed up by Peyton Hunt getting hit by a pitch. Jeremy Stewart would clean up the base path by hitting a 3-run home run, his second homer of the game. Clayton Vandiver would make it back-to-back home runs hitting one of his own. All of a sudden Hayesville’s lead had jumped out to 8-0. Eli Roberts would come on to pitch the bottom of the inning. He would pitch a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts.
6th Inning:
Connor Bradley would double to start the inning then would score on a Peyton Hunt single. That would increase the Hayesville lead to 9-0. Hiwassee Dam would get several runners on in the inning but Eli Roberts would pitch out of trouble to keep the Eagles scoreless.
7th Inning:
Hayesville would not score in the top of the inning but would carry a 9-0 lead into the bottom of the inning. The Eagles would get one runner on but never really threatened as Roberts finished off the Hayesville shutout.
Hayesville Notable Stats:
Jeremy Stewart: 2-4 hitting with 2 HRs, 4 RBI’s
Clayton Vandiver: 1 HR batting, 4 IP, 9K’s, 0ER
Connor Bradley: 4-4 batting 1 HR, 1 double, 3 R’s, 2 RBI’s
Eli Roberts: 3 innings pitched, 4 K’s, 0ER
Hayesville will next play on Friday, May 14th at the Murphy Bulldogs. To get updates or see how the Yellow Jackets have done tune in to all the latest FYN sports coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at https://claync.fetchyournews.com/category/teamfynsports
Photo Credit to Brooke Leatherwood
Yellow Jackets Win 3rd Straight Road Game
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports May 10, 2021
The Hayesville Yellow Jackets traveled to Swain on Friday to take on the Maroon Devils. Swain and Hayesville both were undefeated 2-0 coming into the game. Making it an important early-season matchup. A team effort hitting the ball and a great performance on the mound by Jeremy Stewart led to a Yellow Jacket win. The Yellow Jackets move to 3-0 on the season staying at the top of the conference.
1st Inning:
The game started off with a literal bang in Swain as Hayesville leadoff hitter Connor Bradley hit a home run to start the game. This gave the offense a little jet fuel to start the game as Hayesville put across four more runs in the inning. This gave the Yellow Jackets a 5-0 lead before Swain ever had their first chance at the plate. Jeremy Stewart retired the first runner but allowed the second hitter on base. He quickly took care of it though striking out the next two batters to end the inning.
2nd Inning:
Hayesville got another run to increase their lead in the 2nd inning thanks to a Clayton Vandiver RBI to score Connor Bradley. Then at the bottom of the inning, Stewart struck out the first batter he saw. Allowed the second runner on but two quick ground outs kept Swain from scoring.
3rd Inning:
In the top of the inning, Hayesville got some good production out of the bottom of their lineup. As Cade Denton, Eli Roberts, and Dakota Matheson all scored in the inning. Swain did put across a run in this inning with a leadoff walk that came around to score. Hayesville would take a commanding 9-1 lead into the fourth inning.
4th Inning:
Hayesville would score their last run of the game in the fourth inning. Kyle Lunsford singled to start off the inning then scored a sacrifice fly by Eli Roberts. In the bottom of the inning, Swain did get two runners. With two strikeouts in the inning though Stewart kept them off the board.
5th Inning:
Hayesville’s only offensive action was a Kyle Lunsford single but did not score in the inning. Stewart pitched in and out of trouble again in the inning but did not allow the Maroon Devils to score.
6th Inning:
Hayesville went down 1-2-3 in the top of the inning. Yet the offensive damage had already been done in the game with the Yellow Jackets leading 10-1. Stewart pitched his first 1-2-3 inning in the game to keep Swains hopes of a comeback still out of reach.
7th Inning:
Hayesville’s offense loaded the bases but couldn’t get anything across has a strikeout and a ground out ended their inning. Clayton Vandiver came on the pitch at the bottom of the 7th. He did walk one batter but also had a strikeout and didn’t allow a run in the inning.
Hayesville would go on to win 10-1 and stay undefeated.
Hayesville Notable Stats:
Jeremy Stewart: 6 innings pitched, 3 hits, 1 BB, 1 ER, 7 K’s, 2 hits batting, 1R, 2RBI’s
Clayton Vandiver: 1 inning pitched, 1BB, 1KK, 2 hits batting, 1R, 1RBI, 1 double
Kyle Lunsford: 2 hits batting, 2 R’s, 2RBI’s
Connor Bradley: 2 hits batting, 1 HR, 1DB, 2R’s, 1R
Hayesville will next play on Tuesday, May 11th at the Hiwassee Dam Eagles. To get updates or see how the Yellow Jackets have done tune in to all the latest FYN sports coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at https://claync.fetchyournews.com/category/teamfynsports
Hayesville Offense Explodes in Conference Win
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports May 2, 2021
The Hayesville Yellow Jackets traveled to play at Andrews on Friday. The Yellow Jackets were looking to pick up their second win in their first week of the season. The game itself was a tough one littered with walks and errors. Both teams had plenty of runs in what could end up being one of the higher-scoring games all season. Ultimately the Yellow Jackets had more firepower winning the game 23-10.
1st Inning:
Hayesville’s offense got going early with three first-inning runs. Braxton Cherry got his first career varsity start on the mound and showed his youth a little. Walks to the first two batters was not an ideal start. Cherry was able to settle in a little though and escape the inning only giving up two runs.
2nd Inning:
Hayesville’s offense was only held scoreless once in the game, that being the second inning. In the bottom of the inning, Cherry pitched well striking out the first two batters. Getting the third to ground out to pitch a scoreless frame.
Cade Denton takes his lead.
3rd Inning:
The Hayesville offense exploded in the third inning gaining eight runs to extend their lead. Kyle Lunsford had a rbi triple in the inning and Jeremy Stewart scored twice in the inning as the Yellow Jackets batted around. Unfortunately, the Yellow Jackets gave some that lead back as Andrews scored three in the inning.
4th Inning:
Hayesville’s offense cooled down a little only scoring one run in the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Andrews continued to chip away at the lead scoring four runs of their own. Some of their runs were free though as we saw Hayesville struggle defensively with multiple errors in the inning. Hayesville finished the inning leading 12-9 with it looking to still be anyone’s game.
5th Inning:
The Yellow Jackets once again scored just a single run in the top of the inning the one run scored by Jeremy Stewart. In the bottom of the inning, Hayesville finally started to settle in defensively only giving up one run in the inning. This allowed them to keep their lead at three up 13-10.
Eli Roberts delivers the pitch.
6th Inning:
Hayesville’s offense was strong all night but had a record-setting inning in the 6th. Scoring 10 runs with all nine players in the batting order scoring. As well Jeremy Stewart who we are used to seeing star performances from on the mound continued his career night on offense with a home run. Then in the bottom of the inning, Eli Roberts finished strong on the mound pitching a scoreless frame. Thanks to the huge inning offensively Hayesville won 23-10 in six innings due to the 10-run rule.
Hayesville Notable Stats:
Jeremy Stewart: 3-4, 4 RBI’s, 5 R’s, 1 HR, 2 BB
Avery Leatherwood: 3-5, 2 RBI’s, 2 R’s
Dakota Matheson: 3-4, 1 RBI’s, 3 R’s
Hayesville will next play on Tuesday, May 4th at the Cherokee Braves. To get updates or see how the Yellow Jackets have done tune in to all the latest FYN sports coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at https://claync.fetchyournews.com/category/teamfynsports
Photo Credit: Brook Leatherwood
Hayesville Yellow Jackets Win Season Opener
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports April 29, 2021
The Hayesville Yellow Jackets started off their season with a very tough task. A road trip all the way to Rosman to face the always tough Tigers. The Yellow Jackets were led by Connor Bradley, Avery Leatherwood, and Jeremy Stewart. The first two had big days at the plate while Stewart had a great day on the mound. The Yellow Jackets came away victorious winning 8-1 to open their season.
1st Inning:
The Yellow Jackets got off to a quick start with Connor Bradley leaving the game off with a double. Followed up by a Braxton Cherry single and then Jeremy Stewart got walked to load the bases. The next two batters struck out though, making it look like the Tigers might escape the inning without giving up any runs. Avery Leatherwood came up clutch though with a double to give Hayesville an early 2 run lead. Jeremy Stewart pitched through a tough first inning. Rosmans lead-off hitter got on by error, then Stewart walked the next batter. Then two flyouts and a strikeout got the Yellow Jackets out of the inning with a 2-0 lead.
2nd Inning:
After lots of action in the first inning, the second inning was rather quick. The Yellow Jackets 9,1,2 hitters all flew out for a 1-2-3 inning. Then in the bottom of the inning, Stewart pitched a 1-2-3 inning as well with a strikeout to end the inning.
3rd Inning:
The Yellow third at-bat did have a little excitement as they got several runners on base. Yet Rosman escaped the inning via strikeout with Hayesville having runners on first and second. The bottom of the third inning saw Stewart continue to pitch well, another 1-2-3 inning this time with two strikeouts.
4th Inning:
The Yellow Jackets found their offensive punch once again in the 4th inning. The first two batters of the inning got on base via an error. Then Hayesvilles leadoff hitter Connor Bradley knocked both of them in with a 2-RBI single. Jeremy Stewart helped himself out a little with an RBI single, to score Bradley. Then in the bottom of the inning, Stewart had another 1-2-3 inning retiring his ninth consecutive batter.
5th Inning:
Dakota Matheson got on base to start the inning and then Bradley hit a two-run home run to increase the Yellow Jacket lead to 7-0. Braxton Cherry followed it up with a triple then Stewart picked up another RBI single to increase the lead to 8-0. Other than a walk in the inning, Stewart did pitch another scoreless frame.
6th Inning:
Avery Leatherwood the Hayesville catcher did pick up his third hit of the game this inning. Yet that was the only offense in the inning by Hayesville. In the bottom of the inning, Rosman finally got on the board. Yet they could only scrape across one run but Stewart’s night pitching was finished as he hit his pitch limit striking out the last batter he faced.
7th Inning:
The Yellow Jacket offense was quiet in the seventh inning hoping they had put up enough runs to win. Hayesville would bring on Clayton Vandiver to close out the game, his first-ever varsity pitching performance. Vandiver pitched a great inning, inducing three ground ball outs to get the save. With Hayesville winning their first game of the season 8-1.
Hayesville Notable Stats:
Jeremy Stewart: 2-4 batting with 2 RBIs, 6 innings pitched 1 R, 0 ER, 8Ks, 3BBs, 1 H
Clayton Vandiver: 1 IP 1 save
Avery Leatherwood: 3-4, 1 Double, 2 RBIs
Conner Bradley: 4-5, 2 Doubles, 1 HR, 4 RBIs
Hayesville will next play on Friday, April 30th at the Andrews Wildcats. To get updates or see how the Yellow Jackets have done tune in to all the latest FYN sports coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at https://claync.fetchyournews.com/category/teamfynsports