Knox County Wins Non-Conference Baseball Contest With Clark County

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By David Sharp

Knox County (11-4) worked the count to their advantage during an 8-1 win over Clark County (6-10) in May 5, 2021 varsity baseball play at Knox County. Both teams played good defense and competed hard.

Kellen Parrish pitched a Knox County seven inning complete game. Parrish struck out five with one walk on 11 hits. Gabe Howe started the game for the Indians and took the loss.

Drew Holstead and Tristen Pitford stroked back to back singles off Kellen Parrish in the first inning. Koy Nixon bunted the runners to second and third. Parrish struck out a batter then induced a pop up for the final out.

The Eagles held Clark County scoreless until Kaden Hamner came off the bench and singled leading off the Indian seventh. Elijah Elam followed with a hit. Drew Holstead lofted a sac fly to left field, scoring Hamner on a Sacrifice fly.

Gabe Howe set the Eagles down in order during first inning action. Braxton McCurren and Robert Dooley connected for back to back Knox County hits. The runners advanced on a wild pitch.

Braydon Miller walked, filling the bases with none out in the KC second. Blake Parrish flew out to Sam Wheeler in right field. The All Conference football selection fired to Carter Briscoe, retiring McCurren for a 9-2 Clark County double play.

Branson Miller came through with a clutch two out, two run double for a 2-0 Knox County lead after two full frames. Gabe Howe singled for Clark County with one out in the Indian second inning. Kellen Parrish picked the runner off first base for the second out of the inning.

Elijah Elam and Drew Holstead turned in back to back singles starting off the Indian third inning. Blake Parrish started a 6-3 double play, killing the potential Clark County third inning rally.

Conner Hayes walked leading off the KCHS third inning. Isaac McCurren drew a base on balls out of the two holes in the Eagle lineup. Rylan Roberts drilled an RBI single. Braxton McCurren continued his hot hitting with a two RBI double.

Robert Dooley walked. The Eagles ran the bases well, setting up several second and third chances. The more experienced Knox County batters took Clark County hurler Gabe Howe deep into counts. The tactic ran up the Indian starter’s pitch count.

Howe got the final three batters without allowing further scoring. Knox County sent eight batters to the plate in the third inning for a 5-0 lead. Clark County had runners on base during the fourth and fifth innings but could not get the big hit.

Clark County freshman center fielder Drew Holsted made two outstanding catches, limiting Knox County offensively. Holstead kept KCHS leadoff batter Robert Dooley off base with a nice catch in the fifth inning.

Drew Holsted saved an extra base hit off the bat of Braydon Miller, ramming headlong into the fence ending the Knox County sixth inning. Nick Hamlin walked leading off the Knox County sixth. Conner Hayes followed with a double.

Isaac McCurren executed a squeeze bunt, scoring Hamlin for a six run lead. Rylan Roberts walked. Roberts took aggressive leads off base, inducing Clark County’s pitcher to balk two times.

Braxton McCurren drove in a run with a hit. Knox County scored three times in the bottom of the sixth for an 8-0 lead. Clark County scored one run on 11 hits. Drew Holsted went 3-4 with the Indian RBI. Eli Elam was 2-3 for Clark County.

Gabe Howe pitched the first three innings. Howe struck out two and walked two batters on seven hits. Owen Burr pitched two innings of one hit, scoreless baseball. Lucas Eddleman struck out two on two hits in an inning pitched.

Clark County’s youthful lineup struggled at times on the basepaths. Knox County picked three runners off base. “We hit the ball well,” Clark County coach Jerry Jerome said. “We got 11 hits. We put people on base, we just couldn’t move them around. We did have a couple of base running mistakes. We just couldn’t get that one hit when we needed it.”

Knox County scored eight runs on ten hits. Neither team was charged with an error. Braxton McCurren was 3-4 for Knox County with three RBI’s. Conner Hayes went 2-4 with two runs scored and another driven in.

Rylan Roberts was 2-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Robert Dooley went 2-4 for the Eagles. “I just tried to throw strike and allow my defense to make plays,” Knox County pitcher Kellen Parrish said.

“Eight runs should win a game,” Kellen Parrish said. “When they give me that many runs, I expect to win.”

Knox County coach David Cameron commented on sophomore Kellen Parrish’s pitching performance. “I thought he did an outstanding job of keeping them off balance,” Coach Cameron said.

“”He kept them off base for the most part. They did get some hits. He did a heckuva job,” David Cameron said. “That is a good, young team right there,” Cameron said of the Clark County ball club. They were starting six freshmen. They hit the tar out of the ball.”