By Bart Moss

For the FCT

The Red Bay Tigers won a critical area matchup with the Cherokee Indians last week.

Red Bay outlasted Cherokee Tuesday after five lead changes, squeaking out a 10-5 win. The Tigers finally managed to grab the lead after a strong third inning. Red Bay scored on an RBI single by Chandler Allen, bringing home Troy Borden.

Kolby Bragwell did his best to jumpstart the offense for the Tigers, reaching base three times. He scored two runs and had one RBI. He homered in the first inning.

Allen looked sharp on the mound. Allen held Cherokee hitless over 4 1/3 innings, allowed no earned runs, walked two and struck out nine.

Red Bay jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. A solo home run by Bragwell started the inning off. The scoreboard lit up again for the Tigers on a solo home run by Colby Knoblock.

Red Bay never surrendered the lead after the third inning.

Earlier in the day, Red Bay scored one run in each of the first six innings to take a 6-2 win over the Indians.

Landon Burgett went 2-for-4 in the game, leading the Tigers effort with a single and a triple.

Houston McKinney picked up the win for Red Bay, pitching seven and allowing no earned runs.

Troy Borden went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Kaleb Burroughs went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.