Wainwright's no-hitter, timely hitting, lifts Blue Devils to District 1-2A championship

ELIZABETHTON — Tradition is strong for Unicoi County baseball. The current batch of Blue Devils are doing their part to keep it going. "It is such an honor to put on a Devil uniform, especially to wear No. 17 for Unicoi County," junior catcher Reid Bogart said. "It is awesome." Asher Wainwright threw a five-inning no-hitter and Bogart's two-run triple highlighted a seven-run third inning to help the Blue Devils claim the District 1-2A championship with a 10-0 victory over West Greene on Saturday afternoon at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark. "That is the expectation…," said Unicoi County head coach Chad Gillis, whose Blue Devils defeated Johnson County once and West Greene twice to claim the championship tournament hardware. "There is a long way to go and they know that. This is another step, step two to where we want to be...Their attitudes today were great. When we were still in Erwin hitting and stuff they were ready to play... "We play another week, practice another week. Looking forward to next week too." Unicoi County (23-9) was a perfect 10-0 during the regular season in the Three Rivers District, and proved their dominance in the league once again by winning three more by a combined score of 29-4 to claim the tournament crown. "Honestly it matters more about what we do as a team," Bogart said. "We just come out here and play clean baseball and do what we do and everything will take care of itself...We have to keep going and to keep playing good baseball." Wainwright was in control on the mound, striking out four, while the only three West Greene baserunners reached on a pair of errors and one walk. "I felt great. I had everything going for me," Wainwright said. "The curveball looked good, the fastball looked good. Just felt good…My offense backs me up very well, as well as my defense." "Asher did Asher things. That is what I always say you can expect that out of him," added Gillis. "As long as we are playing good defense behind him that is what he does." West Greene (16-16) stunned Chuckey-Doak earlier on Saturday, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh to earn a 5-4 win, their second win over the second-seeded Black Knights in the tournament to advance to face the Blue Devils and earn a regional berth as well. "We expected to see Chuckey-Doak, but they knocked off Chuckey-Doak. This was a great win, a great team win," Wainwright said. "West Greene has played some good baseball in this tournament. They have been playing good. To beat them is huge and to get this conference is great." Unicoi County, which got a run in the first on a triple by Kolby Jones and sacrifice fly from Bogart, adjusted to the slower pitching style by sending 11 batters to the plate in the third, with Bogart's two-run triple one of four hits in the frame, while the Blue Devils also drew four walks off two of three West Greene pitchers. "It kind of got us going, that got the rally going," said Bogart, whose father, Chris, is a former standout player for the four-time state champion Blue Devils. "I think there was two on and we scored seven runs in that inning so that definitely got us going." Two more crossed in the fifth thanks to a pair of hit-batsmen, an error, balk and Jones finished it off with a long single to end the game. Jones had a triple, single, walk, scored twice and drove in a run for the Blue Devils. Bogart drove in three runs and Alex Laningham and Daven Thompson scored two runs apiece. "Those guys were keeping us off-balanced and getting a lot of fly balls and ground balls and we were constantly having to make adjustments," Gillis said. "I think that is how they approached it. It takes a minute to make the adjustments you need to make at the plate. Once you do it kind of opens it up." Unicoi County returns to action next weekend for Region 1-2A action, possibly in Pigeon Forge, although the site and opposition were still to be determined. "We have got to win two games. I think we have got the arms to do it. We saw Pigeon Forge, we played them. It could very well be a very good series," Gillis said. "I think West Greene has a good shot to go down there and compete also." Unicoi County was one win from advancing to the state tournament in Class 3A last season, which would have been the Blue Devils' first state tourney visit since 2010. Wainwright thinks that drought could soon end. "We have to keep going. I think we can go all the way, I really do," Wainwright said. "I believe we are one of the best teams, if not the best team in the state. If we are playing Blue Devil baseball and we are rolling, I think we are the best team in the state."