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MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2021 WWW.DAILYPOSTATHENIAN.COM A13 Smyly, Acuña fuel Braves past Cards for doubleheader split BY GEORGE HENRY NATIONAL LEAGUE Smyly (4-3) signed an $11 mil- the rhythm, find the sync. I think “I think it was more because AP Sports Writer lion, one-year deal as a free agent that has been better over the last it gave us the lead,” Acuña DH GAME 1 in November and has largely few starts with my body being said through a translator. “It’s ATLANTA — CARDINALS 9, Braves 1 been a disappointment for the on time, but every start is a new always big to hit a home run, but knows his first season with the Braves, entering with a 5.63 ERA challenge.” there’s no better feeling than to hasn’t gone as team in the game most starts. I in 11 starts. pitched the hit a home run to put your team smoothly as he thought it would. think I could’ve pitched a whole He held the Cardinals hitless seventh of the shortened double- up.” After shutting down the St. Lou- lot better.” until reached header under pandemic rules, Before the sixth, Smyly allowed is Cardinals, Smyly believes he’s Smyly didn’t allow a hit until on an infield single with two outs earning his 13th in 14 chanc- three baserunners — a walk of on the right track to better con- the sixth inning, Ronald Acuña in the sixth. Second baseman es. Tyler O’Neill in the second, Gold- sistency. Jr. hit his 100th career homer fielded the ball in Acuña, playing in his 378th schmidt in the fourth and O’Neill “I guess pretty up and down, and Atlanta earned a split of a shallow right field and made a game, became the sixth-quick- again in the fourth. , you know?” he said. “I didn’t day-night doubleheader with a wide throw to first. est to reach the milestone with who entered the game with a 1.05 have the April I would like, but 1-0 victory over the Cardinals “I think I’m on the right page, a shot to left-center in the third ERA, struck out O’Neill to end there’s five more months of the on Sunday night. on the right track, but I still think inning off Kwang Hyun Kim (1-5). the sixth with runners on first season, and I know it only takes In the first game, Adam Wain- there’s a lot to get better at to It was his 19th homer, second- and second. one game to turn it around and wright struck out 11 and pitched keep improving,” Smyly said. “It’s most in the NL. Acuña hit his first homer in start getting on a roll. I think I’ve a three-hitter, sending the Car- a long season. You just have to He rejoiced when the ball 10 games, snapping his longest battled every start and kept our dinals to a 9-1 victory. put in the work every start, find cleared the fence. drought of the season. Summertime gains Cherokees impress in

playday JOHN PETERSON | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Tennessee Chad Dallas (36) throws BY GABRIEL GARCIA against Virginia during the Vols’ College World Sports Writer Series opening loss on Sunday at TD Ameri- trade Park in Omaha. Dallas pitched 6.1 innings The basketball Cherokees on Sunday, giving up four runs on eight hits. have been hard at work for the first month and a half of new head coach Randy Casey’s Vols on brink tenure, as much in the weight room as on the court. McMinn County put some of elimination of the early results of that grind on display in a playday Thursday in the MCHS gym- nasium with two impressive in Omaha after wins over this past season’s top two teams in the former District 5-AA. The Tribe’s var- sity squad blitzed Sequoyah, loss to Cavs that district’s runner-up, 66-40, and then finished the BY TROY PROVOST-HERON evening pulling away to a 58-39 The Daily Times victory over Loudon, which had won its district champi- OMAHA, Neb. — No team has been as onship and advanced to its clutch as Tennessee this season. region semifinal. Tennessee senior left fielder Evan Earlier Thursday, McMinn’s Russell hit a game-winning grand slam freshman teams played Brad- against Vanderbilt, junior second base- ley Central and Loudon, and man Max Ferguson hit a walk-off three- its junior varsity squads run home run against Arkansas, and Sequoyah and Loudon. sophomore center fielder Drew Gilbert The Cherokees provided just set the table for a run to the College a taste of what they could look World Series with a walk-off grand slam like when they take the floor against Wright State in the opening game this November, as Casey has of Knoxville Regional. emphasized weight training as a cornerstone of the pro- COLLEGE WORLD SERIES gram since being introduced as the coach in early May. VIRGINIA 6, No. 3 Tennessee 0 McMinn hasn’t even installed its offensive scheme, yet, but There were also five other walk-off hits both scrimmages involved the GABRIEL GARCIA | THE DAILY POST-ATHENIAN of lesser magnitude — the seven ninth- Cherokees scoring often in McMinn County’s Hayden Smith (00) finishes at the hoop against Loudon during the Cherokees’ playday inning winners tying for the most in the transition and forcing turn- on Thursday in the McMinn County High School gymnasium. nation — and dependable run produc- overs with tight man-to-man tion in non-dramatic scenarios. defense. None of that was present in the No. “The thing from day one 3 Vols’ 6-0 loss to Virginia on Sunday that we’ve emphasized is get- inside TD Ameritrade Park. ting stronger, bigger, faster, “I think you’re standing on this field, and all those things,” Casey said. you can get caught up in your thoughts a “We don’t have any offense in. little bit, what’s on the line,” Tennessee We’re working on becoming, coach Tony Vitello said. “It’s certainly and we’re going to have a shirt, a new setting. It’s the first time back at our motto is ‘every-day guys.’ it after a week or so. So, you can feel for And we’re working on becom- things instead of just doing things. ing every-day guys. “… We could have helped ourselves in “These guys lifted weights situations by being on the attack a little at 7 this (Thursday) morn- bit more in the proper baseball fashion, ing, and then did some speed in a loose manner or an aggressive man- work and agility this morning, ner, than kind of feeling our way through then they come to play tonight. some stuff.” That’s what we are, and I told Senior shortstop Liam Spencer drew these guys, that’s what we’re a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first, going to do. And now they are and Ferguson followed with a single to seeing that if we do this and give Tennessee runners on the corners we do it together, great things with senior third baseman Jake Rucker, can happen. It’s not about me, Gilbert and Russell due up. it’s about these guys, it’s about GABRIEL GARCIA | THE DAILY POST-ATHENIAN A , a pop out to second and how hard they’re working and McMinn County head coach Randy Casey (center) instructs the basketball team during the Cherokees’ another strikeout ended the first of three how much they are becoming playday on Thursday in the McMinn County High School gymnasium. empty innings with a runner on third a family.” and less than two outs — a situation in So far, so good, according Cherokees’ potential depth, this June — which were back “We want to play the best which Tennessee (50-17) scores the run- to Casey — but at the same with more than a dozen play- in session after the 2020 sum- possible people, and I’m not ner 58.1% of the time. time he emphasized the Cher- ers seeing time on the court mer of inactivity due to the worried about our record in “There’s a chance to throw a blow okees still have a long way to for the varsity squad. COVID-19 pandemic. The the summertime, even though in the first inning and a couple other go and a lot of things to learn “Right now I feel like I can Cherokees posted wins over it’s pretty good,” Casey said. times,” Vitello said. “You don’t really and correct. play 12 guys and not miss Howard and Tyner Academy “I’m not worried about that. know how the game would have changed “But I’m proud of our effort, anything,” Casey said. “And at a camp in Cleveland in early I’m worried about seeing us but, regardless, the narrative still would and that’s the way we’re going that’s a luxury. My toughest June and played two competi- get better, and that’s the main have been there was moments where we to play all the time,” Casey job is trying to figure out how tive games against nationally thing. And you can’t get better didn’t play baseball the way that we need said. “That’s the only thing to get them all playing time. regarded powerhouse Ham- if you play subpar opponents, to, the way we’re capable of, and also in I know how to do, and we’re But that’s a good problem ilton Heights from Chatta- and we’re trying to find the the fashion that got us to be able to play going to demand that kind of to have, so I’ll deal with it. nooga. best people we can.” in this stadium.” effort all the time, and if we But our guys, they’ve bought The Cherokees also played McMinn has one more week The Vols’ next opportunity came don’t get it, we’ll keep tinker- in, they’re playing hard, several teams at Tennessee of work before the TSSAA in the fifth when sophomore Jordan ing until we find it. I’m very they’re playing together, and Wesleyan last week, and the summer dead period halts all Beck led off the frame with a walk and proud of where we are right I couldn’t be happier at this day before Thursday’s playday activity for two weeks start- senior designated hitter Pete Derkay now. We’re happy, but we’re point, but I’m obviously not took the court at Tusculum ing June 28. singled on the next at-bat. Junior catch- not satisfied.” satisfied.” University against Farragut er Connor Pavolony bunted Beck and Also on display in Thurs- McMinn has had a busy sum- and reigning Class AA state EMAIL: gabriel.garcia@ day’s scrimmages was the mer in various summer camps champion Greeneville. dailypostathenian.com SEE OMAHA, A15