Pigeon Forge Tigers Triumph Over Kingston 6-2 to Secure Sectional Championship and 10th State Appearance

The Pigeon Forge Tigers (31-5) defeated the Kingston Yellowjackets (27-9) in game 2 of their best of 3 series 6-2, to secure the team's 9th Sectional Championship, and book their 10th State Tournament appearance in school history.

"It's real special, that's the first group of seniors that wouldn't have made it to state in their four years at Pigeon Forge High School and I'm just so excited for them." Coach Guinn said following his team's win to secure their first trip to state since the 2022 season.

After Wednesday evening's hard fought come from behind victory, Pigeon Forge grabbed the lead for good in the 5th inning and never looked back backed from a complete game from the SCSR Co-Newcomer of the Year Collier Helton.

"As a freshman, I don't know that I've ever had anyone come out on the mound and do what he did tonight. What he did to come out and punch our ticket to state is pretty incredible." Guinn stated when asked about Helton's performance on the mound.

The Tigers came to the plate first, as the visiting team for game 2 of the series and nearly drew first blood following walks from Jaxon Allen and Brody Watson to lead off the game for Pigeon Forge.

The next two batters for PF would ground into a fielder's choice, to cut down the lead runner each time to leave the Tigers with 2 runners on with 2 outs in the opening stanza.

Leff Louttit came to the plate and scorched a ball into left field, however Kingston's Kainon Gamblin made a beautiful throw home to the Yellowjackets catcher Gage Brown, who applied the tag to David Price at home to record the final out of the inning, while trying to score from 2nd base.

Helton delivered a quick 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the first, requiring only 8 pitches and recording two strikeouts.

Brighton Presley, who started on the mound for the Yellowjackets responded in the top half of the 2nd inning, delivering a pair of strikeouts and a caught stealing from catcher Gage Brown, who gunned down Fisher Monday at 2nd on an attempted steal.

The Tigers worked quick once again in the 2nd with another pair of strikeouts from Helton and a pop out from the Yellowjackets leadoff batter Keylon White, sending the game into the 3rd inning of play, still knotted at 0.

Allen got the Tigers rolling in the 3rd with one out in the frame on a single after beating out the throw to first from the Yellowjackets shortstop. Allen then advanced to 2nd on a fielder's choice by Brody Watson.

The next batter David Price, down 1-2 in the count hit a slow chopper that was booted by the shortstop Ryan Wilkins. Allen who was already in motion on the swing with 2 outs was able to come around and score the first run of the game for the Tigers making it 1-0.

Brody Crouse led off the bottom of the 3rd with a single for Kingston, he then advanced to 2nd on a sacrifice bunt from Zayvion McCray. Helton induced Dominic Goodyear into a fly ball to deep center 4 pitches later for the 2nd out of the inning.

Crouse moved to third with a stolen base and was driven in to score 3 pitches later following a line drive single to left field from Presley to make it a tie game once again at 1-1 before Isaiah Harrill would line out to Branson Headrick at 2nd to end the inning.

Pigeon Forge once again were able to get runners on base following walks to Dalton Cole and a single to right field from designated hitter Monday. The Tigers couldn't bring them around and the inning ended on a pair of fielder's choice outs from McClure and Boyle, leaving 2 Tigers on base.

The Yellowjackets would get a pair of baserunners of their own in the bottom of the frame following singles form Keylon White and Wilkins but Helton would get a strikeout and a pop fly to get himself out of the jam and leave the score tied at 1 heading into the 5th inning.

The 5th inning would prove to be the most pivotal and biggest inning of the game as they plated 4 big runs and pushed the lead out to 5-1.

Allen led the inning off with a double to right field, Watson would walk on 4 straight pitches and Price would lay down a masterful bunt down the third base line and used his speed to beat it out for a single, giving Pigeon Forge bases loaded with 0 outs in the frame.

Helton would help himself with a RBI single on the first pitch of the next at bat, that allowed Allen to score from 3rd, Watson & Price both advanced 90 feet, leaving the bases full of Tigers.

Louttit drew an RBI walk on 5 pitches to extend the lead to 3-1, still with 0 outs recorded.

Dalton Cole lifted the ball on the 2nd pitch of his at bat into center and delivered another RBI for the Tigers on the sacrifice fly, allowing Price to score and giving Kingston their 1st out of the inning

Monday loaded the bases back up for Pigeon Forge on a ball back to the pitcher, after the throw would go wide of first. McClure would drive in Helton with a, RBI sacrifice fly into right for the last of the Tigers 4 runs in the inning. Heading to the bottom of the 5th, Pigeon Forge held a commanding 5-1 lead.

It would only take 9 pitches for Pigeon Forge to record 3 outs in the bottom half of the inning with Allen recording the first out of the inning on a ball hit from McCray. Watson would record the final 2 outs of the inning on his own as Goodyear popped out and Presley grounded to Watson who scooped the ball and outran him to the bag for the 3rd and final out of the inning.

Watson doubled on a ball driven in to right field and would score 2 batters later, once again on a single from Helton after the Yellowjackets outfielders miscommunicated on a ball and came together, allowing the ball to reach the turf and move the lead out to 6-1 Pigeon Forge.

"I think it's great, I think its the good Lord that put us in this situation. We prayed about the right opportunity and I don't think there's any question on why we're here." lamented Coach Travis Watson on how special it is to make the state tournament in his first year with the Tigers.

Kingston threatened once again in the bottom of the 6th getting 2 men on base after a walk from Brown and a double from White. Price would make a great throw in, forcing Brown to hold at third on the hit.

Helton induced a pair of ground balls to record the final 2 outs of the inning and needing 3 more outs to book their trip to state.

Cole led off the 7th with a double and later advanced to 3rd on a ground ball from McClure to the shortstop Presley who fired to first for the out. A base hit bunt single from Colby Boyle gave the Tigers runners on the corners threatening for more runs with 2 outs in the inning.

Allen would ground the ball to second that Kingston fielder Goodyear was able to field and record the final out on the toss over to White at 1st.

Pigeon Forge would send Helton back to the bump looking for the complete game and sectional championship.

Crouse recorded the first out of the inning after only one pitch after Headrick fielded the ball and made the easy throw over for the out.

Evan Settles drew a 7 pitch walk before Goodyear struck out on the 4th pitch of the at bat. Presley would give the Yellowjackets life with a double to left field that allowed Settles to come around for the run, making it 6-2 Pigeon Forge with 2 outs in the inning.

Harrill scorched a line drive on his 4th pitch of the at bat but it was right at Headrick, who made the play recording the final out of the game and sending Pigeon Forge to the TSSAA State Tournament for the first time since 2022 and 10th time in school history.

"Well we've got to win that first one and if you win that first one, your pitching depth really comes in. The good thing is we finished our tournament on Thursday and we'll have our full staff on full rest going into the tournament." Guinn said when asked about the depth of his pitching staff.

Of note from the sectional series with Kingston, Pigeon Forge Head Coach Mike Guinn was able to secure his 600th career win during the 10-9 thrilling comeback on Wednesday evening.

"I've had great coaches with me my entire career but it's not been many, I've coached with and had these guys around me for a long time." Guinn said of the milestone.

"I coached him here, I coached him when he was in college in the Appy League and he's coached with me there. Coach Browning's been awesome, he's young but he's been awesome." Guinn mentioned when asked how fun it is to have former players coaching along side of him.

Pigeon Forge will kick off their state run on Tuesday with game time TBD following the conclusion of all Sectional Series games.

Junior Brody Watson is also tabbed as a finalist for the 2026 Class 2A Mookie Betts Mr. Baseball award. That awards ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19th at 11 AM in Murfreesboro.