By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Cabot Centennial Bank junior American Legion team bounced back from its first loss of the season with a 9-1 win over Benton-Sportshop Wednesday in the first round of the Gwatney Chevrolet Invitational Tournament in Jacksonville.
Dylan Billingsley threw a one-hitter over four innings and Will Jerry gave up no hits over the final two innings, though the duo did walk a combined six batters – three each.
Offensively, Benton’s first batter of the game scored, but the Sportshop team scarcely threatened from that point. Cabot took control quickly in the bottom of the first inning, pushing five runs across the plate.
Leadoff hitter Brenden Sheldon got things rolling in the bottom of the first with a 2-2 base hit. Blake McCutchen roped a 1-1 pitch to left field on the next at-bat. Logan Gilbertson walked and a pitch hit Dillon Thomas to drive in the first run of the game.
Two more scored on a base hit by Brett Brockinton that left runners at first and second. Billingsley sacrificed them into scoring position and Nicholas Belden drove them in with a base hit.
In the bottom of the second, Sheldon drew a leadoff walk and McCutchen singled, setting up a two-RBI double by Gilbertson to make the score 7-1. Gilbertson tried to steal third but was thrown out, and the next two batters went down in order to end the inning.
Benton pitcher Wesley Williams struck out the side in order in the third, and made it nine-straight batters retired in the fifth, sitting Cabot down in order again.
But Billingsley was equally as effective in the second through the fourth. He faced just 10 batters over those three innings before yielding to Jerry in the fifth.
After Jerry faced four batters in the top of the fifth, Cabot added the game’s final two runs in the bottom half. Gilbertson led off with a hit on the first pitch of the frame, but was still standing on second with two outs. Jerry then singled to score Gilbertson and Belden drove him in with his second base hit of the game to set the final margin.
The Centennial Bank squad piled up 10 base hits.
McCutchen led the way, going 3 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Gilbertson went 2 for 4 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Belden was 2 for 3 at the plate with a game-high three RBIs. Thomas, Brockinton and Jerry provided the other three base hits for Centennial Bank, whose record now stands at 6-1.
