McKenzie, Tenn.–How many teams from McKenzie have been to the state tournament this year? You may have lost count but add one more as the Rebel baseball team advanced with a double header victory in a best of three series last night at Mckenzie City Park.
Tate Surber was the winning pitcher in the first game 5-2. Surber gave up only two runs and two hits. Strikning out 9 batters but walking 6. McKenzie scored 1 in the 1st, 2nd and 6 innings and 2 in the 4. Hayden Hixson came on in relief in the top of the 7th to get the save.
Entering the second contest of the night again against Richland High School, McKenzie would be the visiting team on the scoreboard. Following a Hayden Hixson double in the top of the first Tate Surber would homer to deep left field to give McKenzie a 2-0 lead. The Raiders would get two walks, and a hit batsman, leading to a double and triple scoring 4 runs and Richland would lead 4-2. Richland would score one run in the 4th as well to take a 5-2 lead going to the top of the fourth, when Jackson Cassidy would homer with Hayden Garrett on first cutting the lead to 5-4 and the Richland defense would stiffen and the Rebels would leave the basis loaded.
Richland would come back and tack on another run in the in the bottom of the 4th to lead 6-4. Neither team would score in the 5th inning but the Rebels blew it open in the top of the sixth scoring 8 runs and taking a 12 to 6 lead. That lead would hold up and the McKenzie Rebels advance to TSSAA State Tournament Action starting next Tuesday. Drawings will be determined as the sectional games are completed this weekend. Teams playing will be McKenzie, University School of Johnson City, Coalfield, East Robertson, Jo Burns, Eagleville, Peabody and Bradford. Games will be played Tuesday at Eagleville High School and Rockvale with the State Championship game to be held next Friday in Murfreesboro. The Rebels were Runners Up last year and are looking to return to the championship game with a different outcome this year.