Lookout Valley's Logan Alder steals second as Joey Tomlinson of the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences fails to make a tag Monday in the game at Lookout Valley.It took an extra-inning explosion, but Arts & Sciences picked up a 14-3 high school baseball victory Monday at Lookout Valley.
The Patriots won with a blistering 11 runs in the 10th inning.
"I feel great [about the win]," CSAS coach Rik Herrmann said. "We battled and we feel it's only a matter of time before we put up a crooked number."
CSAS (8-6) jumped out to an early lead, scoring a run in the second on a Micah Isom sacrifice fly and tacking on two more in the third after the host Yellow Jackets scored two in the second.
Lookout Valley's Preston Frashier cooled the Patriot bats in relief. He pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, stranding the potential winning run on third base with a strikeout in the seventh, which was supposed to be the last inning.
Meanwhile, his teammates mounted a comeback to knot the game at 3 with two outs in the fifth.
The Yellow Jackets (3-9) could not convert early chances, outside of their scores in the second, but finally broke through when an error by the Patriots allowed Gavin Thacker to scamper home for the tying run.
CSAS's Tanner Lee turned in an impressive relief outing of his own, with six innings of work and eight strikeouts, and earned the win.
"He's been a horse for us all year long, and he's really establishing himself as an ace on a staff that's already great," Herrmann said. "He continues to be a huge reason for our success."
The Patriots had the Yellow Jackets on the ropes, sporting baserunners in each of the last five innings, before finally delivering the knockout blow in the 10th in what had turned into a relief pitchers' duel.
Walks and miscues doomed Lookout Valley in the 10th. Two of the three walks allowed early in the inning scored, including the go-ahead run on an error. Another three walks and an error helped the Patriots plate eight more runs.
"We're young but we're not going to use that as an excuse. We consider it a strength," Lookout Valley coach Wes Caldwell said. "I'm encouraged by how we played tonight. We just haven't been able to get the timely hit. We are better than we played in the 10th."
Lee complemented his impressive performance on the mound by going 3-for 6 with a double and then two singles and three RBIs in the 10th. Patriots senior Kenny Struters added a three-run blast to the late-inning barrage.
"Each win has had a different feel," Herrmann said. "Some have felt like a street fight, some like a boxing match. This one felt like a marathon, and it's nice to see these guys have the confidence they can win."
Contact Idris Garcia at sports@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6273.