Knights Celebrate vs Williamstown

In a Class A sectional title game played in Williamstown on Monday, May 16, Tyler Consolidated erupted for six first inning runs to get the jump on hometown favorite and the number one ranked Yellowjackets and come away with a 15-5 mercy rule five inning victory.

The Silver Knights went into the contest with their backs against the wall having to win two games over Williamstown (23-4) to advance to the regionals. Monday nights victory set up the championship game for Tuesday also to be played at Williamstown’s Legion Field.

The Silver Knights pushed their school record to 23-8 with the win as they out hit the home team 8-4 including a Grand Slam by Ty Walton in the bottom of the sixth which pretty much took the air out of the Yellowjackets and the cover off the ball.

“We got on a roll against Ritchie County in a sectional semifinal with the bats, and we continued that through today,” TCHS coach Robby Jones said.

“The kids are swinging hot bats and have a lot of confidence right now. We knew we had to beat Williamstown twice. We did it once and we will see what happens (Tuesday).

Williamstown put two runs on the board in the bottom of the first to make it 6-2 after one, but neither team could dent the scoreboard in the second. Tyler, however used the third to add six more runs and hold a comfortable lead 12-2. Williamstown plated runs in the third and fourth innings to cut the lead to 12-4 heading into the fifth. In the top of the inning the Silver Knights struck again adding three runs to the scoreboard to gain complete control 15-4. With one chance to cut the lead below 10 and extend the game Williamstown could only manage one run and the Knights came away with the win.

Braydin Coleman took the loss for the Yellowjackets giving up six runs on five hits in less than an inning as he was pulled with two outs. Williamstown pitchers gave up eight hits to the Knights, while walking eight batters and hitting eight more.

Big hit s for the Silver Knights came in the first inning with Alec Chaplin and Hayden Brown both drilling hard hit RBI doubles. Chaplin got the win for the Knights with Walton coming on in the fifth to pickup the save. Chaplin gave up a single to the first batter, than hit another and walked the next to load the bases. His wild pitch and an infield fielders choice scored a pair of runs before Chaplin got the next three batters.

However, after a tough start in the first and the Knights still leading by four Chaplin settled down and ended four innings giving way to Walton who faced five batters but escaped the fifth with one run and striking out the final two batter with runners on second and third.

Hit batters, walks, and four Williamstown errors accounted for six Silver Knights runs, but it was Walton’s blast in the third the teams only hit of the inning that set the tone for the rest of the game as they stretched the lead to 10. Tuesday nights contest is a win or go home event for each team.

Jayden Helmick had a single and an RBI, Sade Billings drove in two runs with a single, Hayden Brown had four RBI with a single and a double, Chaplin got an RBI double, Owen Westbrook singled home a run, and Walton had the four run homer. Tyler committed two errors on the night.

Silver Knights lose heartbreaker to Williamstown

In a game that changed hands five times on Tuesday, Williamstown came up big in the bottom of the seventh with a walk off double to give the Yellowjackets a 6-5 win over Tyler Consolidated in the sectional championship contest and earn their way to the regionals.

The home team Yellowjackets got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the third, but Tyler Consolidated came back in the top of the fifth to plate three runs for a 3-1 lead. Williamstown added a run in the bottom of the fifth to pull to within one and went up one in the bottom of the sixth with two more to take a 5-4 lead.

The Silver Knights responded in the top of the seventh forcing in a pair of runs. The Knights got three free passes on walks from Williamstown and with the bases loaded Hayden Brown hit a fly to left field for out number two. Owen Westbrook left third for home and the throw from left was in time but the catcher dropped the ball when he collided with Westbrook, who scored the tying run making it 5-5.

The next two Silver Knight batters were hit by a pitch forcing in another run to give the Knights the 6-5 lead. With the lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. Tyler’s starting pitcher Ty Walton walked the first batter and then was at his pitching limit so the Knights went with Brown who came on in relief. Williamstown got a bunt single from Harbot Haught to put runners on first and second. A sacrifice bunt to the next batter moved both runners to scoring position. TJ Thomas the next batter then drove in both runners with a shot to center field for the win.

Williamstown moved to 24-4 on the season with the win and the Silver Knights end their season with a 23-9 record.

“Our kids battled all season long “ I didn’t expect anything different coming in,ã TCHS coach Robby Jones after his ball club ended the 2022 campaign at 23-9. “I put our kids against anybody’s. They battled all the way.”

“The kids won 23 games, which is a school record and the first conference championship. And we battled until the last out. I’m just proud of the kids’ effort all season long.”

The Knights had six hits in the contest with Zade Billings leading the way with two hits, and an RBI. Wes Henderson and Owen Westbrook both singled and scored a run. Carson Gorby had a single and an RBI, plus he scored twice. Garon Broughman scored as well. Tyler had no errors in the game.

Williamstown had eight hits, six runs and one error as they move on to play Madonna in a best of three series in regional play.

“Tyler is probably one of the best teams we have played all year, if not the best team, so if you are able to get out of that and in the manner we did it it is only going to carry into the next game,” Coach Maxwell said after his Yellowjackets won three of the five meetings this season with TCHS. “I didn’t like that we had to walk it off, but it isn’t a bad thing to walk it off. It’s definitely a momentum builder.

“Tyler Consolidated is the toughest competitor in the sense they really find ways to stay in games. They do an excellent job figuring out how to score runs. They play us to the best of their ability every time they show up. To out execute them today was a big deal for us.”