Wildcats rally to win

Four-year starter Manny Velazquez sparked Hixson’s baseball team to a dramatic 7-5 comeback win over East Hamilton on Thursday night to start the Wildcat Classic.

Velazquez hit a solo home run — his first as a high school player — over the right-field fence with the Wildcats trailing 5-1 in the third inning, and he also threw three perfect innings in relief, striking out five batters as he earned the win.

“The thing I love about Hixson the most is my teammates,” said the left-handed hitting Velazquez, who doubled down the left-field line to start a two-out, three-run rally in the bottom of the fourth with his team behind 5-4. “We got down 4-0 early, but we worked as a team and did not get down. We kept pushing.”

Hixson (2-0) was also aided at the plate by Jacob Tobias, who had a pair of line-drive RBI singles, and Nic Castro also drove in two runs.

East Hamilton (1-1) scored four runs in the first inning as Austin Wolcott and Chase Roberts laced RBI doubles. However, the Hurricanes added just one hit over the last five innings.

› Baylor 19, Soddy-Daisy 0: Danny Corona, Jay Dill and Vito Valincius all hit home runs to lead the Red Raiders to victory.

› Lookout Valley 8, Bledsoe County 3: Jacob Winchester struck out 14 batters through seven innings while also going 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Caven Gilley and Jacob Rollins also drove in a pair for the Yellow Jackets, while Jarrett Adams and Riley Collins had two hits each.

› Ooltewah 12, South Pittsburg 3: The Owls unleashed 15 hits as Dominic Mackaluso went 4-for-5 with three doubles and three RBIs.

› Silverdale Baptist 9, Grace Academy 3: Brett Rogers went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs, while Connor Delashmitt homered for the Seahawks.

› McCallie 6, Bradley Central 4: Carter Hewitt led the Blue Tornado with two RBIs.

› Boyd Buchanan 8, Red Bank 0: Perry Griffen was the winning pitcher and drove in two runs.

› Dalton 13, Douglas County 3: The Catamounts (5-7) improved to 2-0 in GHSA Region 5-AAAAAA as Kaleb Valdez went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, Brock Johnson drove in two runs and Jackson Blackwood and Brady Pendley each went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Orlando Santiago pitched six innings and allowed three runs while striking out seven to get the win.

› Trion 10, Mount Zion-Carroll 6: Brandon Dover struck out 14 batters in six innings of two-run pitching to lift the Bulldogs (5-4, 2-2 Region 6-A public). Brody Brown was 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs, with Jackson Morrison and Brantley Willbanks each driving in two runs.

SOFTBALL

› Ooltewah 13, Central 0: Emma Ladd struck out seven batters, while Kaylee Wilson went 4-for-4 with three RBIs for the Lady Owls.