Unicoi County leaning on strong pitching to start conference play unbeaten

ERWIN — It's easy to find success in the game of baseball when the other team doesn't score. Unicoi County has had a strong first month of the season in terms of run prevention, especially in conference play. After Tuesday's 7-0 home victory against Johnson County, the Blue Devils pitching staff has just allowed six runs in eight league contests. "They've been tremendous," Unicoi County skipper Chad Gillis said. "I knew we were going to have depth there. Hudson Berry came out and threw a huge game for us a couple weekends ago. Tanner White, he's thrown some really good innings. It's a very deep staff. Now that we're extending guys a little bit, some of those guys don't get seen by the conference, which is honestly a good thing." Isaac Harris has been the Monday starter for the Blue Devils, and he has set the tone for each week in a big way. Harris has made five starts this season to the tune of a 0.36 earned run average. In 25 innings, he's surrendered just 10 hits and one earned run. Harris has walked just four batters and struck out 46. To open the final series in March on Monday, Harris went the distance in Mountain City, striking out 11 en route to a complete game effort as Unicoi County beat the Longhorns 6-2. "He did what he's done all year," Gillis said. "He had to throw his breaking ball a little more. He had been throwing his fastball and throwing it by kids. I really think (Monday) night was probably his best night in terms of velocity. They put him in play a few times and we had to make some plays. "That was good for him, too. I think it shocked him a little bit that guys were really putting him in play hard. They have no fear over there, but he definitely has had a really good year to start." Following Harris up on Tuesday was his co-ace of sorts in senior Kolby Jones. The right-hander tossed 5 ⅔ scoreless innings, striking out a dozen Longhorns. It was a big bounce back spot for Jones, who allowed five earned runs and nine runs total in four innings his last time out this past Thursday against non-conference foe David Crockett. "He's resilient," Gillis said. "He is a kid that's not going to get too down. He's matured in that over the last four years. Everybody feeds off of that from him…To bounce back is really good to see from him. I didn't expect anything different." The pair has started seven of the Blue Devils' eight games against District 1-2A competition and have combined to allow just two earned runs across those starts. "Isaac has been throwing a lot before me," Jones said. "Seeing him go out and compete the day before really just sets the tone. That's really what we've been built on this year. Come out and have a lot of energy. We know what we have in the dugout. We know we can hit, we know we can field, so it's just coming out and setting the tone early." Reid Bogart has been the battery mate for most of the staff throughout the first month, including on Tuesday night where showed his prowess with the bat with a 3-for-4 night with a two-run home run. When it comes to the typical conference starters, the catcher said it was good to see the pair lock horns with the Longhorns lineup. "They're great competitors and great teammates," Bogart said. "We knew that especially the top of their lineup was very scrappy. Good two-strike approach. We had to mix it up and they did great. Inside, outside, different breaking balls, putting it in different spots. They did a good job battling with a scrappy lineup." Heading into April, Gillis is excited for where this pitching staff could take the Blue Devils. "You've got Kolby and Tucker (Peterson), those are some guys," Gillis said. "Then there's Tanner and Hudson right behind them. It's really good to have. That's almost Science Hill depth. Not quite, but that's near-Science Hill level depth when you've got that many guys that can get it done."