Bryson City – Murphy scored twice in the top of the 7th and then keep the Devils off the board in the bottom half to take a hard fought 9-7 win on Monday. The game itself went back and forth as the two teams battled for 7 full innings.
In the top of the 1st the Bulldogs scored 3 runs to jump out to a 3-0 lead. But the Devils answered back in a big way scoring 5 runs of their own in the bottom of the 1st. Gabe Lillard roped a single to left to start the inning for the Devils. Cameron Blankenship was hit by a pitch. Carter Hayes followed with a single that scored Lillard. A pitch later Blankenship dashed home on a passed ball. Hayes scored when Cooper Hyatt doubled. Hyatt, who advanced to third on a passed ball, scored when Brenn Jackson grounded out. The ground out advanced Ronnie Griggs, who had reached via a walk, to third. Griggs would score when Damian Lossiah reached on an error.
Murphy came back in the 3rd inning to retake the lead. The Bulldogs used a pair of home runs to score three runs, retaking the lead at 6-5.
Swain would tie the game in their half of the 4th inning. Carson Taylor started the inning with a solid double to right center. Carter Hayes followed with a walk. Cooper Hyatt picked up an infield single to load the bases for the Devils. Taylor scored when Ronnie Griggs grounded out to first. Unfortunately the Devils would only get one run out of the inning.
Murphy climbed back on top in the top of the 5th with a run of their own leaving the score 7-6.
In the bottom of the 5th the Maroon Devils would answer again. Cameron Blankenship singled to right field with one out in the inning. Blankenship would do the rest himself, coming around to score on passed balls and wild pitches from the Bulldogs
Through five full innings the game was tied 7-7. Both teams went scoreless in the 6th.
Murphy got a pair of runs in their half of the 7th, to take the lead for good.
For the Maroon Devils Carson Taylor and Cooper Hyatt each had a pair of hits, Hyatt drove in a run.