Pigeon Forge Tigers Showcase Grit with Thrilling 10-9 Comeback Victory Over Kingston

If you were to write a “Hollywood” script for a baseball movie, it might go a lot like Wednesday evening's Sectional Series opener between Pigeon Forge (30-5) and the Kingston Yellowjackets (27-8).

The game had it all, big moments to open the game, a team's number one pitcher struggling and being pulled early, a rain delay, and a huge come from behind victory from the home team led by an unlikely hero.

“This reminded me of the old-time Pigeon Forge teams that wouldn't give in, and they didn't give in. I'm so proud of them.” Guinn lamented of his team's performance.

Kingston would jump on the Tigers quick chasing Pigeon Forge ace and starter Dalton Cole from the game only 2/3 of an inning into the game.

The Yellowjackets loaded the bases quickly following singles from Isaiah Harrill & Gage Brown. The next batter Keylon White was hit by the first pitch in the at bat giving Kingston 3 quick baserunners.

Cole would work the next batter Ryan Wilkins to a full count before Wilkins was able to connect for a grand slam homerun to center that barely cleared the fence and glove of Tigers centerfielder Jaxon Allen to give Kingston the quick 4-0 lead.

Cole would get the second out of the inning with a strikeout of Kainon Gamblin before Coach Mike Guinn opted for the bullpen bringing in Mycah Effler to try and escape the jam and prevent any further damage.

Effler allowed a single to Brody Crouse and followed with a walk to Zayvion McCray, giving Kingston two more runners in scoring position before an inning ending groundball fielded by shortstop Colby Boyle who made the throw over to Collier Helton at first for the out.

Harrill would start on the hill for Kingston and worked a quick 1,2,3 inning, placing the momentum firmly in control of the Yellowjackets heading to the top of the 2^nd inning.

Effler responded however with a quick 3-up, 3-down inning of his own, sitting the Yellowjackets down in order on only 8 pitches.

The Tigers would get their first baserunner of the game after Effler drew a 5 pitch walk, with Fisher Monday coming right behind with a single to give Pigeon Forge 2 runners on with 2 outs in the frame.

Senior Canon McClure would come through for the Tigers delivering their first run on an RBI single into right field that allowed Effler to come around from 2^nd to score, while Monday advanced 90 feet to 2^nd base.

Kingston would get out of the jam after Harrill was able to induce a pop fly, that he fielded himself from Tigers shortstop Boyle leaving the score at 4-1 Kingston.

Kingston's Gamblin reached base after being hit by a pitch from Effler with two outs in the inning but the inning would end on a ground ball to Boyle who flipped the ball over to 2^nd baseman Branson Headrick to end the frame.

The Tigers threatened again in the bottom half of the third after a single from Brody Watson, who was retired after David Price hit into a fielder's choice with Kingston taking the out at 2^nd, unable to roll the double play leaving Price at 1^st with 2 outs in the inning.

Helton drew a 5-pitch walk and Louttit was hit by the first pitch of the next at bat, to load the bases for Pigeon Forge.

Kingston would yield the next Pigeon Forge run on a walk to Effler to cut the margin to 4-2 Yellowjackets before Fisher Monday struck out, leaving the bases full of Tigers.

McCray reached first base to start off the 4^th inning after being hit on a full count to give Kingston a baserunner to start the frame. Dominic Goodyear delivered a single on the third pitch of hit at-bat and the Yellowjackets were threatening again with 0 outs recorded.

Presley moved both runners 90 feet on the sacrifice bunt putting them into scoring position, bringing Harrill back to the plate with only 1 out in the inning.

Harrill delivered sending a hard line drive into left field that allowed both McCray and Goodyear to score to push the lead out to 6-2 for Kingston.

Brown doubled, moving Harrill to third before Wilkins drove in another run on a line drive single to right to plate another Yellowjackets run to make the Kingston advantage 7-2 with 2 men on and 2 outs in the inning.

Wilkins stole 2^nd putting both runners in scoring position before Gamblin singled on a line drive back up the box allowing both Brown and Wilkins to score to make it 9-2 Kingston before Crouse recorded a line out to centerfielder Allen to end the inning.

McClure led off the 4^th inning for Pigeon Forge with a single which was followed by another single, this time from Boyle that allowed McClure to come all the way around from 1^st to plate Pigeon Forge's 3^rd run of the game.

Watson singled after Allen lined out to center and moved into scoring postion along with Boyle after Price hit a slow roller to short for the 2^nd out of the inning.

Boyle scored immediately after the first pitch of Helton's at-bat would bounce to the backstop, while Watson advanced to 3^rd to make the score 9-4 Kingston. Helton worked the walk and was followed by Louttit who drew the walk, working back from an 0-2 count to reach base to load the bases.

Cole would re-enter the game for Effler and draw the RBI-walk to draw the Tigers to within 4, before Monday singled after beating the throw to first on a ball hit to short to score another Tigers run, this time it was Helton scampering home to get the Tigers to within 3 runs with the bases still loaded and 2 outs in the frame.

Pigeon Forge worked through the order and McClure came back to the plate for his 2^nd at-bat of the inning where he drew another walk, allowing Louttit to score and the Tigers trailed 9-7 before Boyle would stike out to end the inning.

“Just don't give up, I told our team, we don't lose like that, we come through in the big moment, we don't get down on ourselves and we all come together as a group.” Louttit spoke when asked about his train of thought heading into the 4^th inning down 9-2.

Guinn once again made the move to the bullpen calling for Jaxon Allen who was greeted by McCray who blooped a single into center that landed just in front of Cole.

Allen recorded outs on the next two batters before catching McCray with the inside pickoff move and ensuing rundown by the left side of the Tigers defense to end the inning, with a heavy rainstorm moving over Jack A. Parton Field just as Kingston was taking to the field to warm-up for the bottom half of the 5^th inning.

A roughly one hour rain delay left both teams going into pitcher conservation mode for Thursday's pivotal game 2 and possible “if” game that could follow.

Following the rain delay, Watson roped a ball into right and stretched it into a double, giving Pigeon Forge a runner in scoring position with only 1 out in the inning. Kingston would get Price to pop out and Helton struck out to leave Watson at 2^nd with the Tigers still trailing 9-7 heading to the 6^th.

Allen returned to the mound and was lights out sitting the Kingston batters down in order on 14 pitches bring the Tigers back to the dish looking for runs.

Cole would come up 2^nd in the order and drive a 2-2 pitch to the right field wall to leg out a triple with one out in the inning. Monday hit a grounder to the shortstop that looked to be deep enough to score the run, however the Kingston shortstop Presley fired the ball home and Brown applied the tag to cut down the scoring chance for the Tigers.

McClure once again walked but Kingston would get Boyle to ground out to short and the inning was over and the Tigers still trailed by 2 heading into the final inning of the game.

Louttit came in to pitch the 7^th and was electric sitting the Yellowjackets down in order with 3 straight strikeouts that sent the Tigers dugout into a frenzy with energy that carried over into their final plate appearances of the evening.

Allen led off the inning with a groundout to short following a pitch that appeared to be ball 4 but the strike was given to make it a full count.

Watson scorched a ball into center to kick-start the Tigers rally and hopeful comeback on the 2^nd pitch of the at-bat.

“It's contagious, big time players make big time plays.” Guinn said on Watson's leadership.

Price laid down a sacrifice bunt and would reach base after an error while Watson advanced to third with the Tigers still trailing 9-7 with 1 one out in the frame.

Helton fought off a 2-2 pitch with a chopper back to the pitcher, who made the throw over to 1^st but Harrill could not field the ball allowing Helton to reach base and Watson score from 3^rd. Price advanced to third and with the run, Pigeon Forge trailed 9-8 with 1 out in the frame.

Louttit came to the plate for the Tigers and drove home Price to tie the game at 9 on a hard line drive back up the middle to center.

“It's big big, I've been in a slump for a little bit and it's a huge weight off of my shoulders.” Louttit stated on the game tying single in the 7^th.

Cole would hit a pop fly to 2^nd base to record the 2^nd out of the inning on the first pitch of the at bat, leaving the score knotted at 9.

Pigeon Forge down to their final out, needing one run to win it would send Fisher Monday who was 2-4 in the game to this point back to the plate, looking for the game winning base hit.

Monday would look at strike out before Louttit would steal 2^nd to give the Tigers 2 runners in scoring position.

Monday delivered in another clutch moment for the Tigers on the next pitch up the middle, allowing Price to score, once again sending the Tigers spilling out onto the field to celebrate the come from behind victory with Monday behind the first base bag.

“I was just looking for something to hit in the moment, I was just really just trying to get something I could drive.” Monday said.

“Fisher is clutch, he keeps doing it. You put a bat in his hand with the game on line, it doesn't phase him,” Guinn quipped on Monday's clutch factor.

“It's really just a focus aspect, I don't know what it is about the big moments but I get locked in and just want to do something good for my team and help us win.” Monday lamented after the game winning hit.

Pigeon Forge will once again host Kingston on Thursday afternoon with first pitch set for 4:30.

If the Tigers win they will advance to the TSSAA State Tournament in Murfreesboro for their 10^th time, if Kingston picks up the victory, the teams will play an “if necessary” game immediately following the conclusion of the first game.