Choctaws shut out Trojans behind Smith one-hitter





Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports

Dyer County got its journey through the District 13-3A schedule off to a strong start on Monday night as the Choctaws took a 6-0 win over Dyersburg at Tom Mathis Field behind a one-hitter from senior hurler Jack Smith.

Both teams got through the first inning on defense with 1-2-3 innings but Dyer County got on the board to break the scoreless tie in the second frame. With one out, Jake Gentry reached on an error then scored on a triple by Everett Kuykendall. The senior centerfielder then covered the remaining 90 feet, scoring on a Landon Daniels groundout to put the Choctaws on top 2-0 after an inning and a half.

After working around a one-out walk to get out of the bottom of the second frame, the Choctaws looked to add to their lead in the top of the third frame. R STARNES singled to open the frame then David Headtke reached on an error. Talon Messer then singled in a run to extend the orange and white’s lead to 3-0 heading into the bottom of the third frame.

Dyer County tacked on another run in the top of the fourth as Gentry led off the frame with a double. After a sacrifice bunt by Kuykendall, Daniels singled in another run to push the Choctaw advantage to 4-0 after three and a half frames.

The Choctaws tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth. Back-to-back singles from Gentry and Kuykendall were followed by a costly error by the Trojans as Daniels reached base and a run scored. Gavin Lynn then grounded to third baseman Will Leonard to plate another run and give the Choctaws a 6-0 lead.


With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Logan Cohen broke up Smith’s no-hit bid with a single to center. Before that, Smith had retired 16 of the 17  batters he had faced and the last 12 in a row before Cohen’s base hit. A flyout and a strikeout ended the inning with Cohen still at first.

Smith looked to help his own cause in the top of the seventh with a leadoff trip before Dyersburg retired three of the next four batters to get out of the frame with Smith stranded at third.

A leadoff error put a runner on for Dyersburg but the Choctaws got the next batter to ground into a double play before another groundout ended the game to seal the Dyer County win.

Smith went the distance for the Choctaws, allowing no runs on one hit with 10 strikeouts, facing just two over the minimum and needing just 76 pitches to do so. Brett Horner took the loss, allowing six runs on ten hits with two strikeouts while going the distance for the Trojans.


Kuykendall led the way for the Choctaws with a triple and a single and an RBI while Gentry had a double and a single. Meanwhile, Daniels had a pair of singles while driving in three of Dyer County’s six runs.

The two teams will return to action on Tuesday as Dyer County hosts Dyersburg in the second game of the District 13-3A home-and-home series. First pitch is set for approximately 7 p.m.

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