T-N-C Lawn Care, Citizen's prevail

By Marvin Birchfield
STAR STAFF
mbirchfield@starhq.com

   T-N-C Lawn Care and Citizen's Bank were winners in American Little League action on Monday, as both teams came up with big hits to score the victories.
   After earning four runs in each of the first three innings, T-N-C cruised to a victory over David's Auto in a 13-1 final.
   "After losing Saturday, it was good for the kids to come back and play like that. The pitching and the hitting were good," said T-N-C manager Jerry Pierce.
   The first runs came was scored when a hit from Aaron Lipford and error by the catcher allowed Justin Pierce and Josh Peterson to cross the plate.
   T-N-C led 4-0 after the first frame, and continued to add to its lead in the second, when Justin Pierce connected on a single to drive-in Knox Eryasa.
   The lead had increased to 8-0 at the end of the second frame, and three errors coming from David's Auto allowed three more runs to score with Tyler Jaynes, Nathaniel Stonecipher and Eryasa coming home.
   David's Auto made its only run of the night in the top if the third, as a shot to right-field from Jordan Taylor brought home Logan Carden.
   Lipford did a good job at the mound for T-N-C, as he allowed just two hits on the evening, with Justin Nave and Taylor both connecting on singles.
   "He's the only 12-year-old we have, and I try to pitch him as much as I can. This is his last year, and he's never let me down yet," said Jerry Pierce.
   The last run of the night came from a sacrifice fly to center field by Jonathan Chapman, scoring Peterson.
   "I'm proud of the boys for coming back after two losses, with one to Citizen's Bank, then a controversial one against Cline Holder," Jerry Pierce said. "But they came back with a lot of heart."
   Citizen's Bank 9
   Summers & Taylor 2
   If you were to draw your money out of the bank and bet on any player who might be able to get the job done, then you'd probably put it on Adam Colbaugh.
   Colbaugh was sensational in Citizen's Bank win of 9-2 over Summers & Taylor, as he was 3-for-3 at the plate with three home runs.
   "We hit the ball well for a change, because we have had some trouble, but we have a pretty good ball club," said Citizen's Bank manager Steve Birchfield.
   Citizen's struck early in the top of the first, when Colbaugh smacked a homer over the center-field fence to score both he and Franky Birchfield.
   The Bank scored three more runs in the third frame, when two costly errors enabled Birchfield, Colbaugh and Jacob Taylor to come home.
   A shot from Birchfield up the middle brought in Hunter Peters in the top of the fourth, and another two-run homer from Colbaugh made it 8-0.
   Summers & Taylor connected on its only hit of the night, when Daniel Murray blasted a double, which bounced over the left-field fence.
   An error off a hit from Shane Wilkes scored the first run for Summers & Taylor, with Murray crossing the plate.
   Marcus Hill was solid with pitching in his limited role at the mound this season, as he gave up just one hit and committed three walks on the night.
   "I don't pitch Marcus that much," Birchfield said. "He's usually my catcher or first baseman, and he's not pitched in about five or six games, but he did a good job pitching."
   A walk to Dakota Waters with the bases loaded brought home Summers & Taylor's second run, with Justin Hartley crossing the plate.
   The final run from Citizen's came in the last frame, as Colbaugh crushed his third homer of the game, giving him a total of 12 this season.
   "We had some young players that hit the ball well," said Birchfield, " and Adam hit three home runs in a game, so what can I say. He's awesome."
   Weekend Games
   David's Auto scored the victory over Elizabethton Federal, as they earned four runs in the top of the fourth to win a 4-2 decision.
   Alex Chambers received the win at the mound, while he, Brandon Taylor, Dustin Vaughn, and Zack Naylor were 1-for-2 at the plate.
   Derrick Wilson was 1-1 with 2 RBIs for David's Auto, while Brett Price led Elizabethton Federal at the plate by going 3-for-3.
   After KFC made a rally in the fifth frame to score four runs and tie the contest, Cline Holder was able to manage a score in the top of the sixth to squeeze out a 5-4 victory.
   Kendall Wash was 1-for-1 at the plate for Cline Holder with the game's only home run. A stolen base from Wash in the last frame secured the victory.
   Bruce Crumley and Andy Hardin were both 1-for-1 at bat for KFC.
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   David's Auto came out to score three runs early on Saturday to dispose of Summers & Taylor in a final of 4-1.
   Logan Carden was credited with the win at the mound, as he gave up just three hits during the contest.
   Jordan Taylor was 2-for-3 at the plate for David's Auto, while David Murray and Josh Taylor led Summers & Taylor by going 1-for-1.
   With the contest tied 4-4 after the third inning, Elizabethton Federal exploded to score six runs in the bottom of the fourth to grab a 10-5 victory.
   Dennis Turbyfill captured the win, while teammate Brent Price was 2-for-2 at bat.
   Jared Reece was 3-for-4, leading Summers & Taylor at the plate.
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   KFC outlasted Citizen's Bank to acquire the close victory, as they battled their way to a 5-3 win.
   Bruce Crumley was the winner from the mound, while he was 2-for-2 at the plate.
   Franky Birchfield was 1-for-1 at bat for Citizen's, and Adam Colbaugh went 1-for-1.
   Cline Holder won in a close and controversial contest, as the 4-3 victory left the umpire and his wife, who is an assistant for T-N-C Lawn Care, at odds come Sunday morning.
   A come-from-behind effort by T-N-C was denied after a call at home plate was ruled an out instead of a run.
   Kendall Wash received the win at the mound for Cline Holder, as he went 2-for-3 at the plate.
   Justin Pierce went 3-for-3 and Jonathan Chapman was 2-for-2 for T-N-C.