Nissan forces winner-take-all rematch against C.C. Motors

By Tim Chambers
STAR STAFF
tchambers@starhq.com

   Only one Elizabethton National Little League tournament game was played Thursday night due to a forfeit in the first contest.
   Tri-Cities Nissan was the beneficiary of a win due to Greg's Pizza only have eight players. Nissan came back in the nightcap to knock off Carter County Motors 6-3, forcing a winner-take-all contest for the championship tonight at 7:30 p.m.
   Tri-Cities Nissan 6
   Carter County Motors 3
   Nissan used a three-run sixth inning to knock off Carter County Motors 6-3 to force another game tonight for the championship.
   After the Ford and Nissan revved up their engines, both motors stalled for the first two innings before any offense could be mustered.
   Tri-Cities took a 2-0 advantage in the third after C.J. Bowling reached on a fielder's choice and stole his way around for a run.
   Ethan Fleenor was safe on an error and later scored on a triple by Drew Clark, giving Nissan a two-run cushion.
   The four cylinders added a solo run in the fourth inning when Cody Hill was beaned and later came home on a delayed steal by Caleb Sheets.
   The model T's showed why they were a classic in the bottom of the fourth, scratching and clawing for three runs. After Bryan Mullins walked, Casey Sheffield singled in a run and later scored when Cody "The Rock" Hyder ripped a triple to score the mighty Casey.
   Jake Hodge added an RBI single to tie the contest at three.
   After a scoreless fifth, Nissan broke open the game with three runs in the sixth. Cody Hill doubled to start the inning and scored on a triple by Caleb Sheets.
   After a walk to Dylan Carr, Bowling beat out an infield single for an RBI, and Fleenor stroked a single for another run. A rocket throw from center fielder Seth Fleenor to cut down the speedy Bowling at home prevented yet another Nissan run.
   Fleenor struck out the side in the sixth to earn the win.
   Cody Hill led Nissan by going 1-for-1 while reaching base three times. Bowling, Fleenor, Clark and Sheets had the other hits for Nissan.
   Casey Sheffield, Hyder, Hodge and Cody Anderson had the only hits for Motors.
   Motors was at a disadvantage having to bat 12 players in the lineup, opposed to Nissan's nine. This allowed the top two batters for Nissan to hit two more times than the one and two batter for Motors.
   This can be attributed to kids being on vacation, which prevented Greg's Pizza from playing in the first contest.
   A rematch will take place tonight at 7:30 for the championship. Trophies will be awarded after the contest.
   Note: Greg's Pizza did managed to scrimmage Tri-Cities Nissan as Joe Guinn dazzled the crowd with two home runs, one a grand slam to close out his last little league effort. Joe deserves to be recognized for his outstanding play both last night and throughout the season.