The Unicoi County Blue Devils will head out on the road to square off against the Daniel Boone Trailblazers at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Unicoi County's pitching crew has only allowed 3.3 runs per game this season, so Daniel Boone's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
On Tuesday, Unicoi County earned an 8-4 victory over Madison. The win continues a trend for the Blue Devils in their matchups with the Patriots: they've now won seven in a row.
Kolby Jones
| 04/01/25 @ Madison | 11 |
| 03/24/25 vs Tennessee | 10 |
| 03/19/25 vs David Crockett | 7 |
| 03/11/25 vs Sullivan East | 14 |
Kolby Jones was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off nine hits (and not a single walk). That's the most strikeouts he has posted over his last four matches. He was also big at the plate, scoring four runs and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4. He has been hot recently, having posted two or more stolen bases the last three times he's played.
In other batting news, Dustin Bogart was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with five RBI, one run, and one double. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. Hudson Berry also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Unicoi County kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Daniel Boone hadn't done well against Science Hill recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Trailblazers had just enough and edged out the Hilltoppers 3-1. The victory was nothing new for the Trailblazers as they're now sitting on three straight.
Braydon Norton spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered a run (which was unearned) on one hit.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on T J Leonard, who scored a run while going 3-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Clay Rowland, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Unicoi County's record is now 9-4. As for Daniel Boone, their record now sits at 14-3-1.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Unicoi County hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. However, it's not like Daniel Boone struggles in that department as they've averaged .363. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Unicoi County suffered a grim 9-0 defeat to Daniel Boone when the teams last played back in March of 2021. Can the Blue Devils avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
