TSSAA Sectional Championship (Chattanooga, TN)
Gordonsville 11 Boyd Buchanan Christian School 6
After graduation festivities on Friday night, the Gordonsville Tigers hopped on the bus and headed 150 miles down to Boyd-Buchanan Christian School to take on the Bucs in the TSSAA Sectional Championship on May 21st, with the winner punching their ticket to the TSSAA State Tournament in Murfreesboro.
The Tigers jumped out early in the game as they took a 3-1 lead into the third. The Bucs quickly responded by tacking on two in the 3rd and one in the 4th to take a 4-3 lead into the 5th. In the 5th, the Tigers responded pushing across two runs behind a big two-run homer by Lake Underwood. The momentum of the game quickly turned to Gordonsville following the home run, as the Tigers punched across 6 in the 6th to take an 11-4 lead to the 6th. The Bucs, after having all of the wind taken out of their sails, responded with two runs, but Gordonsville would get the best of the Bucs, advancing to the 2016 TSSAA Spring Fling 11-6.
Hunter Davis got the start on the bump for the Tigers. The sophomore righty went 6 innings scattering 11 hits, striking out 4, while giving up 6 runs, and allowing 4 walks. Lake Underwood came on in the 7th to shut the door on the Bucs, striking out two and tossing a no hit inning of relief.
At the plate, the Tigers were led by Devin Goodwin who had three hits. Goodwin was followed by Bobby Parliment, Lake Underwood, and Jake Pierce who each had two hits. Joey Parliment, Mitchell Kirby, and Justin Vaden who each had one hit.
WP- Hunter Davis (Gordonsville)
TSSAA State Tournament (Opening Round @ Middle TN Christian School)
Scotts Hill (Reagan, TN) 11 Gordonsville 2
On May 24th, the Tigers continued their historical journey with the opening round of the TSSAA State Tournament at Middle Tennessee Christian School in the nightcap of the opening day of the tournament versus the Scotts Hill Lions.
The Tigers got on the board early, but the Lions were not going to let the Tigers get the best of them. The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first after Lake Underwood doubled off the wall, but Lions pitcher Evan Russell was flawless after that. The Lions pushed across 1 in their half of the 1st, 5 in their half of the 2nd, three in the 3rd, and two more in the 5th to take an 11-2 victory on the opening night of the tournament.
Lake Underwood got the start on the mound and took the tough loss. He went 2-1/3 innings giving up 5 earned runs on 9 hits. John Taylor Johnson came in to complete the contest going 3-2/3 striking out seven, walking three, while giving up two earned.
Lion pitcher Evan Russell, threw a complete game, striking out 11, while walking five, and giving up two earned runs on five hits. Russell got stronger late in the contest as he continued pound the Tigers with his fastball that sat in the upper 80s.
Offensively, the Tigers never got anything going in the first as Lions pitcher Evan Russell dominated after the first. The Tigers were led by Lake Underwood and Hunter Davis with two hits. Bobby Parliment and Devin Goodwin each had one hit to round out the Tiger attack.
WP- Evan Russell (Scotts Hill)
TSSAA State Tournament (Loser’s Bracket Elimination Game @ MTCS)
Gordonsville 7 Meigs County (Decatur, TN) 6
After the late night setback, the Tigers headed back down the road to Middle Tennessee Christian School on Wednesday, May 25th, to take on the Meigs County Tigers in the Loser’s Bracket Elimination Game at Middle Tennessee Christian School. For those listening to Jim West on 104.1 The Ranch, the last inning of this game may have been the most memorable of the 2016 season.
The Tigers jumped out 3-0 early in the 1st, but Meigs County came firing back with four of their own in the 2nd to take a 4-3 lead into the 5th. The Tigers struck for one in the fifth to tie it up at 4. Gordonsville struck again in the sixth to make it 5-4 as we headed to the bottom of the 6th. In the 6th, Meigs County loaded the bases then squeezed home the leading run to make it 6-5 as we headed to the 7th. In the 7th, the Tigers were down to their last out of the season when Bobby Parliment blasted a solo shot to tie the game at 6-6. Lake Underwood then came up and hit a shot down the right field line that landed him on third with Freshman Adam Goolsby coming to the plate. The Freshman hit a shot down the right field line to plate Underwood and give the Tigers a 7-6 lead as they headed to the bottom of the 7th. In the bottom half of the 7th, Lake Underwood slammed the door striking out two.
Gordonsville starting pitcher Nathaniel Hall went 5 plus innings, striking out two, giving up 6 runs, 3 earned. Lake Underwood came on in the 6th with bases loaded, and got the Tigers out of it. He then slammed the door in the seventh with two strikeouts and a walk.
At the plate, the Tigers were led by Mitchell Kirby with three hits. Kirby was followed by Joey Parliment and Bobby Parliment who each had two hits. Lake Underwood, Adam Goolsby, Justin Vaden, and Hunter Davis who each had one hit.
WP- Lake Underwood (Gordonsville)
TSSAA State Tournament (Loser’s Bracket Finals @ MTCS)
Loretto (Loretto, TN) 13 Gordonsville 5
On Wednesday, May 25th, the Tigers spent the day in Murfreesboro after an exciting 10:00 am game victory over Meigs County. The Tigers then faced off with the #1 ranked team in 1A baseball, the Loretto Mustangs in the Loser’s Bracket Finals at Middle Tennessee Christian School.
The Tigers fell behind 7-0 early versus the powerful Mustangs, but fought back to make the contest 7-5 as they headed into the 6th. In the 6th, the Mustangs pushed across four more runs to extend the lead to 11-5. In the 7th, they pushed across two more to win 13-5 and move on to face Scotts Hill with a spot in the TSSAA State Championship for the winner.
The Tigers sent three young arms to the mound versus the Mustangs as Joey Parliment got the start, followed by Britt Dillard and Leith McKinney. The trio gave up 13 runs, 11 earned throughout the seven innings.
The Tigers did not hit Loretto pitcher Jacob James as the crafty lefty had a 2-seam fastball that ran in on the hands of numerous Tiger hitters as well as sat in the high 70s and low 80s. Offensively, the Tigers were led by Joey and Bobby Parliment who each had two hits. They were followed by Adam Goolsby who had the teams other lone hit.
WP- Jacob James (Loretto)
With the loss, the Tigers finished the 2016 campaign 16-21, and in a tie for 5th place in the 1A Class of Tennessee Baseball. The Tigers made the last four weeks of the 2016 season some of the most memorable for the little town of Gordonsville as they reached the sub-state portion of the TSSAA State Baseball playoffs for the first time since 1986, as well as reaching the TSSAA Spring Fling for the first time in the baseball program’ history. The Tigers also added their name to the history books by winning the school’s first ever state tournament baseball game. Even with a losing record, the Tigers had their seat at the table, so they ate! Congratulations to the 2016 Gordonsville Tiger Baseball Team and Coaches, top 6 in 1A Baseball!
By: Jacob Woodard 
