By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Centennial Bank Senior American Legion team got just two base hits, but it was enough for its third win of the season. Cabot got an outstanding performance on the mound in snapping a six-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over Gwatney Chevrolet on Monday at the Cabot City Park. Pitcher Gavin Tillery shut down the CCB rival for a complete-game three-hitter.
Tillery had a no-hitter going through four innings. Gwatney’s only two base runners in the first four innings were due to fielding errors, and so was its only run. Jacksonville catcher Kameron Whitmore led off the fifth inning with a grounder to third base. The throw was off target and pulled Brandon Jones off the bag.
Whitmore stole second base, and scored two batters later on an RBI base hit to right field by Caden Sample. The run tied the game, but Sample was doubled up at first base after a hard line drive back to the mound was caught by Tillery at his shoestrings. His relay to first base ended the threat.
Despite not giving up a hit, Tillery worked out of a jam in the third inning as well. Sample hit a line drive to right to start the inning. Right fielder Easton Seidl ran to his right, but overran the ball, letting it fly behind him and roll to the wall and leaving Sample safe at third with no outs.
The umpires would meet and rule Sample had to go back to second base because the ball rolled under the fence.
Tillery then got two pop-ups to second base and struck out Tyson Flowers to stand Sample.
Flowers applied a bit of pressure to Tillery in the next inning when he led off with an infield single to shortstop. Mike Havard’s sacrifice bunt moved him to second base. Caleb McMunn hit a line drive to right field where Seidl made up for his previous mistake.
After making the catch, Seidl fired a strike to third base to get Flowers on a 9-5 double play.
It was a Jacksonville error in right field that led to the game-winning run for Cabot (3-6).
Logan Edmondson walked with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jaylin Crumbly then hit a fly ball to right, where Javan Wakefield misplayed the ball, letting it roll to the fence and allowing Edmondson to score from first base. It was also the last play of the inning, as Crumbly was caught in a rundown trying to reach third base, and was thrown out in a 9-3-6 play when Flowers chased him down for the tag.
Cabot’s first run came in the bottom of the second inning on a double by Edmondson was followed by a Crumbly RBI single.
Tillery threw seven innings, giving up three hits and no earned runs. He finished with four strikeouts and no walks.
Brandon Hawkins started on the mound for Jacksonville (7-5) and threw four innings. He gave up just the two hits in the second inning, striking out five and walking three. Peyton Traywick threw the final two innings for Gwatney. He gave up no hits with no strikeouts and two walks.
Cabot and Jacksonville take part in the Jacksonville mid-season tournament that begins Thursday. Cabot opens play at 5:45 Thursday against Searcy. Jacksonville follows that game against White Hall.
Jacksonville plays Conway at 5:45 Friday and Cabot follows with a matchup against Magnet Cove.
