FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. – The Shelbyville Central Golden Eagles (6-3, 0-1) began District 9-4A play against projected favorites Lincoln County (11-2, 1-0) on Monday night, falling 13-3 after five innings.

Shelbyville’s bats started off hot in the top of the first inning, driving in three runs against Falcons’ starter, Rhett Persell. However, Persell settled down after the first inning, lasting 4.1 innings and giving up just the three earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out six on 82 pitches to earn the win. Parker Horton came on in relief to get the final two outs, doing so on just 11 pitches.

His counterpart, William Bobo, struggled against a tough Falcons lineup. Bobo went 3.0 innings, giving up 11 runs with seven earned on 10 hits and one walk while striking out just one batter on 68 pitches. Caden Duggan came on in relief during the fourth inning, recording three outs and giving up zero runs on one hit and one strikeout throwing just 11 pitches. 

Michael Estrada came on in the fifth, but the Falcons were able to knock in the final two runs needed to walk off Shelbyville and trigger the 10-run run-rule. Estrada gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits while striking out one. As a team, Shelbyville committed four errors in the field, leading to five unearned runs for Lincoln County.

After Stephen Bobo drove home his older brother William to get the scoring started for the Golden Eagles in the first, Brody Lovvorn joined the younger Bobo on the basepaths to bring up Palmer Edwards. Edwards drove home Bobo and Lovvorn with a 2-RBI single to put the Golden Eagles ahead, 3-0.

However, Lincoln County quickly responded in the home half, matching Shelbyville’s total with three runs of their own. Ian Weaver and Clint Quick, the Falcons’ 1-2 hitters at the top of the lineup, combined to go 6-8 at the plate with five runs scored and one RBI. Persell, batting third, also went 3-4 from the plate with two RBI. Weaver and Persell each hit a double as well. 8-hole hitter Carson Haney went 2-3 at the plate with a game-high four RBI and a double. 

Neither team scored in the second, but the Falcons tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 7-3 lead going into the fourth inning. After Persell posted another zero, Lincoln County chased Bobo from the mound with four more runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead to 11-3. Duggan entered and prevented any more runs from scoring, but once Shelbyville’s offense put up another zero in the top of the fifth, Estrada came on to pitch in the home half of the inning. Lincoln County pushed across two more runs to walk it off, 13-3. 

William Bobo went 1-2 at the plate with a HBP, two stolen bases, and a run scored. Stephen Bobo went 2-3 with one RBI, two stolen bases, and one run scored. Brody Lovvorn went 1-2 with a walk and another run scored while Palmer Edwards went 2-3 with two RBI. Caden Peacock also tallied a base hit, finishing 1-2 with a HBP.

Shelbyville returns home to play game two against Lincoln County on Tuesday night with first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Stephen Bobo is the projected starter for the Golden Eagles.