Hixson coach Colton Green talks during the game against Central Wednesday at Hixson High School. 
Hixson's Brandon Carver delivers Monday night in the 6 AA Region finals bracket against Central. Loudon took advantage of key hits early and two Hixson errors in the fourth inning to win 4-3 in a Region 3-AA baseball semifinal Monday at Hixson.
The loss overshadowed some outstanding fielding plays by the Wildcats, who finished the season 25-11, tied for most wins in school history. Loudon (15-15) will face Sequoyah, which beat East Ridge 9-3, in the Region 3-AA final Wednesday.
The Redskins scored three runs in the fourth inning to take the 4-3 lead. Austin Cullen reached on an error by the Wildcats' shortstop, made it to second on a wild pitch and took third on a fielding error by the Hixson right fielder, which put Cam Hope on base. Nathan Hickman then smacked a single to center to score Cullen and Hope.
Hickman, who reached second on Cameron Baker's bunt single, raced home for the lead when Dylan Russell nailed a single to center.
Hixson coach Colton Green felt the key in the game was "one bad inning. In tournament baseball that can beat you, regardless of how well you play the other six. We kick a couple and let them get on base, and they got the hits they needed to score them.
"I thought Tanner (Moylan) did a good job coming in and shutting them out the rest of the game. But at that point, you kind of lose momentum and we couldn't scratch any hits together to get a run. But I couldn't be prouder of these guys. Twenty-five wins, district champions - it's a heck of a season. These group of seniors has been to two finals."
Hixson starting pitcher Brandon Carver (8-2) was driven from the mound after four innings, having given up four runs on six hits. Moylan pitched the final three innings scoreless, but Hixson was limited in that span to a single by Carver in the fifth.
Loudon loaded the bases in the first out with singles by Russell, Jacob Crabtree and Cody Towson, but Hixson second baseman Garrett Layne fielded a Cullen grounder, threw to shortstop Matt Oxford for the force and Oxford fired the ball to Kenan Markum to complete the double play and Hixson escaped the first inning unscathed. Moylan also ran down what looked to be a sure Crabtree double to right field and threw him out at second with a very long, accurate throw.
"That's one of the best throws I've seen ever from the outfield. It was on the money," Green said. "And Cabe made good plays (at third) all night."
Hixson pulled out to a 3-0 lead in bottom of the first inning. After Layne was hit by a pitch, Oxford singled to third and Markum later walked. Layne, who went to third on a Carver groundout, scored on passed ball. Oxford and Markum raced home when Tyler Weaver reached on an infield error.
Loudon pulled within 3-1 with a run in the second inning. Cam Hope singled, his pinch runner Alex McBride went to second on a Jacob Webb groundout, he took third on a passed ball and he scored on Cameron Baker's RBI groundout to short.
Loudon coach Aaron Everett said his team "showed a lot of heart and fought. That's the kind of baseball that we need to play to be successful, especially here late in the season.
"We want to jump on straight pitches in the zone early," Everett added. "We were fortunate enough to hit some on the line, not pop them up. And you hit ball on the line or on the ground, things can happen.
"We play a really tough schedule - playing some of those teams out of Knoxville, a lot of triple-A teams. And we do that on purpose to prepare ourselves for this time of year, because this is when it counts and the strongest survive. And we just try to be tough and play our game and hopefully come out on top."
* Sequoyah 9, East Ridge 3: At Madisonville, Tenn., Blue Johnson struck out 13 in a no-hitter and the Chiefs were led offensively by Wes Hampton, who went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.
Contact Jeff Rancudo at sports@timesfreepress.com.