Tharptown beats the Golden Bears twice in DH at Home

Tharptown – The Varsity boys beat Hazlewood’s boys 4-2 on the strength of Brandon Cothrum’s pitching along with some good outfield work on Tuesday night. That showing was followed by a 2-0 win with Jacob Parker at the helm to give the Cats 2 more wins on the 2009 season.

Clements scores early, often during 19-2 rout of Tharptown

Published: Friday, February 27, 2009 4:13 PM CST

Scot Beard

sbeard@franklincountytimes.com

RED BAY – After its first two games of the season, the Tharptown varsity boys baseball team has experienced the highs and lows the sport has to offer.

The Wildcat’s first game was a 12-2 victory against Belgreen Tuesday. Their second game was not as kind as Clements rolled to a 19-2 win Thursday in a game played at Red Bay.

The Colts jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning, but Tharptown answered with a pair of runs I the third.

Kelby Hallmark reached on an error and advanced to second on a single by Trevor Hallmark. Brandon Cothrum reached first on a fielder’s choice, allowing Kelby Hallmark to score. A sacrifice by Zack Sockwell pushed Trevor Hallmark across the plate.

Clements answered in the bottom of the inning with a 12-run explosion to put the game out of reach. The Colts sent 17 batters to the plate during the inning but only managed six hits, as they were able to draw a handful of walks and reach base on several Wildcat errors.

Tharptown’s Jacob Parker drew a walk in the fourth and Kelby Hallmark pushed him to second with a single, but the Wildcats were unable to bring either runner around to score.

Parker, both Hallmarks and Omar Miguel were the only Wildcats to get a hit – they all singled.

Wade Berryman, Devin Lawson, Sockwell and Parker each drew a walk for Tharptown.

The Wildcats will play their first home game Monday when they host Hazlewood at 4:30 p.m.

Wildcats Beat Belgreen 12 – 2 in Baseball Season Opener

Belgreen’s Daniel Melecio (8) tags Tharptown’s Brandon Cothrum as he tries to slide home during the first inning of Tuesday’s game.

Published: Thursday, February 26, 2009 2:27 PM CST

Slade Gilmer

For the FCT

BELGREEN – The Tharptown baseball team got a strong performance from its pitching staff in a 12-2 win against Belgreen on Tuesday.

Jacob Parker, Brandon Cothrum and Zack Sockwell combined on a six-hitter, striking out 14 in the win.

“I was really pleased with our pitching,” said Tharptown baseball coach Derek Ergle. “(Parker and Cothrum) are both just 10th graders.”

Parker started the first three innings, giving up four hits while striking out six and giving up two runs. Cothrum – who picked up the win – pitched the next three innings, striking out six while allowing only two hits and a walk. Sockwell closed out the game, striking out two and allowing no hits or walks.

The Wildcats took advantage of some Belgreen miscues in the first to take an early 3-0 lead. Kelby Hallmark got the first hit of the season for the Wildcats, advanced to second on a bad throw and came home on Trevor Hallmark’s RBI single.

Trevor Hallmark scored on an error two batters later, and Sockwell came home on an error two batters after that to close out the scoring in the first inning.

Tharptown added to their lead in the second. Devin Lawson walked to lead off the inning, and stole second. He came home after a passed ball to give Tharptown a 4-0 lead.

Belgreen got on the board in the bottom half of the second. Parker struck the first two Bulldog batters out before Cody Glasgow punched a single to right, moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt and scored on Josh DeVaney’s RBI single.

Tharptown answered with two runs in the top of the third. Brandon Cothrum led off the inning with a double, stole third, and came home on an RBI groundout from Sockwell. Wade Berryman then walked, and came around to score on a passed ball later in the inning.

Belgreen added a run in the bottom of the third. Parker hit William Washington, who then moved to second on a balk, and scored on Brandon Hester’s RBI single.

Tharptown again responded with two runs. Kelby and Trevor Hallmark led off the inning with singles, and both came home on passed balls.

Tharptown put the game away in the seventh inning, scoring four runs. Parker led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on Kelby Hallmark’s strikeout and scored on a passed ball. Trevor Hallmark then walked, Cothrum was awarded first after being hit by a pitch, and Sockwell also walked.

Wade Berryman grounded out to second to drive Trevor Hallmark in. Cothrum and Sockwell scored on Mackinley Flannagin’s two-run double to close out the scoring.

For the Wildcats, Kelby Hallmark led the way with three hits – all singles. Trevor Hallmark and Brandon Cothrum added two hits apiece, while Flannagin and Nathan Gray each added a hit for Tharptown.

Hester led Belgreen with two singles in three at-bats and an RBI. DeVaney added a hit and an RBI, while Washington, Trent Edwards and Glasgow each recorded a single for the Bulldogs.

Hester took the loss for the Bulldogs, going 31/3 innings, giving up six runs while striking out two.

Copyright © 2009 – Franklin County Times

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Coach Ergle’s History Class Visits Egypt

Normally the articles you see here are related to Tharptown Athletics and don’t involve the classroom activities of our student athletes. But after all, they are “student athletes” right? And believe it or not, some of our Coaching Staff have even been seen moonlighting as teachers! I recently witnessed such events as these during the Tharptown Homecoming Activities. Right in the middle of all the celebrations, I spotted these young people showing off their History Class Projects. Nice pyramids huh?

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Baseball Team Chicken Stew A Success!

Tharptown – Coach Ergle stirs a pot of Chicken Stew while his Baseball players take turns on a second pot.

Coach Ergle along with the help of the Baseball players, Jerry Vandiver and a cast of several made a Chicken Stew in Saturday October 11 to help fund the Wildcat Baseball program. I bought a couple of gallons myself. Jerry always does a great job, and the Vandiver family always goes over the top in their support of the Wildcats.

Click here to see photos of the Baseball Team