It was also the latest installment of the intense baseball rivalry between J.J. Kelly and J.I. Burton.
?We don?t like them, they don?t like us,? said J.J. Kelly senior catcher Nick Ascue. ?We both want to win and we competed more than them today.?
Behind three hits from Ascue and a gutsy pitching performance from reliever Christian Kunce, Kelly posted an 11-7 win over Burton on Saturday afternoon in a one-game Lonesome Pine District playoff at Powell Valley High School.
The Indians (14-6) earned the top seed for the upcoming LPD tourney and also secured a spot in the Region D, Division 2 tournament. The two teams had split their regular-season matchups.
?It wasn?t going to be easy,? said Kelly coach Chad Longworth. ?[Burton] is a really, really good baseball team. We got down and we kept fighting. The thing that stands out most about our kids is they have a ton of heart. We?ve played about three games in 36 hours.?
The Indians showed no signs of fatigue, taking the lead for good with a four-run fourth inning.
Kelly?s decisive inning was aided by two Burton errors, a familiar theme throughout the afternoon. The Raiders (17-2) finished with seven errors.
?Give [J.J. Kelly] credit for taking advantage of situations,? said J.I. Burton coach Jim Adams. ?I thought we made some key breakdowns on the basepaths and some enormous letdowns in the defense. ? We didn?t play well enough to win. You score seven runs, you ought to win, at least 95 percent of the time.?
Kunce played perhaps the most pivotal role in Kelly?s victory.
He tossed 3 1/3 shutout innings in relief of starter Zack Stidham, scattering five hits and striking out six. Pretty impressive considering the guy threw 144 pitches in a victory over Powell Valley on Thursday.
?That kid has got a heart,? Longworth said. ?Sometimes it?s hard to get it out of him, but when you see it, it?s special. I hope we can carry it on going forward and keep playing the game the right way.?
Nick Sturgill blasted a third-inning grand slam for the Indians, while leadoff hitter Graysen Hale scored three runs.
Malik Miles went 3-for-4 to lead the way for Burton, while Zack Daniels had two hits and Jessee Coffey hit a home run. Losing pitcher Caleb Daniels struck out 10.
But it was Kelly that was able to get the best of Burton for the second time this season.
?It was a good, close game,? Ascue said. ?Both of us are hard-nosed.?

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