Ian McWilliams mostly frustrated visiting Wilson Central High hitters on Tuesday evening, but the Beech baseball team simply couldn’t take advantage of the junior’s effort.
Beech High junior pitcher Ian McWilliams throws a first-inning pitch during Tuesday evening’s contest against Wilson Central. McWilliams struck out 12 batters but received a no-decision.
McWilliams struck out 12 Wildcats over seven innings, but Wilson Central scored twice in the eighth to hand the Buccaneers a 4-2 loss at Buccaneer Field.
Beech (6-7 overall, 1-1 in District 9-AAA) led 2-1 until the sixth inning, when Andrew Franklin’s groundout scored Cole Ferguson to tie the game. Franklin drove in all four of Wilson Central’s runs, including the go-ahead tallies on his eighth-inning single.
“We got a couple of timely hits early to get our runs,” Buccaneer head coach Jimmy Neal said. “But we needed them late, and we didn’t get it done late.”
Beech scored twice in the third inning as seniors Jacob Jenkins and Isaac Robertson provided run-scoring singles to plate junior Ty Sutley and Jenkins, respectively.
Beech High junior second baseman Ty Sutley throws to first base during first-inning action. Sutley stole a base and scored a run in Beech’s 4-2 loss.
McWilliams allowed two runs on nine hits and no walks, leaving the game after throwing 102 pitches (76 for strikes).
“We didn’t do a very good job for (McWilliams), getting him some run support,” Neal said. “He pitched a great game.”
Junior Dalton Hall pitched the eighth and ran into trouble immediately as Wilson Central (8-8, 3-0) had hitters reach base on a walk, single and an error to begin the extra frame before Franklin gave the Wildcats the lead.
Robertson and senior Jesse McCoy led the Buccaneers with two hits each, and both Sutley and Jenkins had stolen bases.
Beech High senior first baseman Jacob Jenkins receives a throw during first-inning action. Jenkins scored a run and had a stolen base in the Buccaneers’ 4-2 loss.
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.
Wilson Central 010 001 02 – 4 11 1
Beech 002 000 00 – 2 8 1
Ryan Hill and Chase Ford; Ian McWilliams, Dalton Hall (8) and Ryan Mortensen. WP – Hill. LP – Hall. Records: Wilson Central 8-8 overall, 3-0 in District 9-AAA; Beech 6-7, 1-1.