CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The District 13-4A tournament concluded with two important contests on Friday. The Rossview Hawks staved off elimination with a win over the Kirkwood Cobras, ending the Cobras’ season in game one, before Clarksville High defeated the Hawks to secure their second straight district title in game two.

Rossview extends season with win over Kirkwood

Baseball game: a runner in a white pinstripe uniform slides toward a base as a fielder in blue leans to make a tag.
Baseball player in a navy jersey and red cap extends a glove to catch a ball on a grassy field with a purple outfield wall in the background.
Baseball player in a white pinstripe Cobras uniform (number 15) reaches up with a glove to catch a ball against a purple outfield wall.
Baseball batter in red and blue swings at a pitched ball during a game, with a catcher’s mitt visible to the left and spectators behind a chain-link fence in the bleachers.
Baseball fielder in gray pinstripes leaps to catch a pop-up on the infield as a teammate watches from right on a sunny field with a purple wall behind.
Baseball pitcher in a red cap and blue jersey throws a pitch on the dirt mound during a game.
Baseball pitcher in pinstriped uniform throws a pitch on a green field with a purple outfield wall and the number 357 visible behind him.
Baseball player in a navy jersey and red helmet rounds a base as dust rises, teammates watching from the dugout in the background.
Group of baseball players in blue jerseys with red caps huddle on the field, one player wearing catcher gear.

The Cobras struck first in the rivalry of the two schools from Exit 8, with a two-RBI double from third baseman Andruw West. However, the Hawks ripped off 11 straight runs in four innings, including nine in the first two. The Hawks’ offense was highlighted by a home run from Jayden Gaylor, and three runs and three RBIs each from Ethan Pickett and Jackson Perry. On the defensive side, Trenten Evick pitched a complete game for the Hawks, allowing only seven hits, walking only two, and striking out seven.

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With the win, the Hawks advanced and secured a spot in the region tournament, while Kirkwood’s season came to an end after their first-ever win in the District 13-4A tournament on Thursday.

“Despite the result, they never quit, and I’m proud of them for that,” said Kirkwood head coach Rick Yauger. “These guys showed that they’re good enough to compete, and they know what it takes to win in this district. We are going to miss these seniors, and I hate that I don’t have one more game with them.”

“That was the goal of today: to make sure we get to play another week,” said Hawks head coach Parker Holman. “We put all our eggs in one basket to make sure we get to practice on Monday.”

Clarksville secures back-to-back district titles

Baseball game: a runner in a white pinstripe uniform slides toward a base as a fielder in blue leans to make a tag.
Baseball pitcher in a blue jersey and red cap throwing a pitch on the mound during a game.
Baseball moment at home plate: a baserunner in blue and red slides into home as the umpire closes in and a fielder in white watches nearby; crowd in the stands behind a brick wall.
Baseball player in a gray uniform with purple accessories reaching up to catch a ball in the outfield.
Batter in white swings at a pitch while catcher crouches behind home plate and a crowd watches in the stands at night.
Baseball game moment: runner in blue jersey number 16 stands at a bag while a white-uniformed fielder slides headfirst into the base, dust curling up around them.
Nighttime baseball scene: a fielder in a blue jersey with #22 leaps to catch a fly ball, while a teammate watches nearby on the grass outfield.
Night game on a baseball diamond; a fielder in white waits near second base as a runner in navy with a red helmet slides toward the bag while the ball comes down in the air.
Baseball baserunner in white sprints along the dirt infield as an umpire runs behind, with a purple outfield wall and spectators in the background.
Baseball player in a blue jersey leaps midair to catch a ball with a red glove against a purple outfield wall at night; sign reads '2023 State Tournament' on the right.
Baseball action at night: a fielder reaches with glove toward a sliding baserunner near second base as another player watches in the background.
Night baseball game: a runner in a red helmet speeds along the baselines as a fielder in light blue moves toward the play, with spectators in the stands nearby.
Night baseball scene: a blue‑jersey runner (#22) slides into home plate as the ball approaches, with the catcher and umpire nearby and spectators in the background.
Nighttime baseball scene: players in white and purple celebrate on a dirt infield, one runner standing center stage while teammates rally around the baselines; helmet rests on the ground nearby.
Three Clarksville baseball players celebrate on the infield at night, smiling and high-fiving each other on the field.
Two baseball players in white uniforms hug at the field’s edge as teammates and fans watch through a chain-link fence at night.
Two baseball players in purple and white uniforms hug and laugh in the dugout at night.
Baseball players in purple jackets celebrate and high-five along a tall outfield wall at night.
Baseball team in white uniforms lines up along outfield wall at night, players with arms around each other in a huddle behind the fence.

The Clarksville/Rossview game was a back-and-forth battle between rivals with district hardware on the line. Rossview struck early with two runs in the first innings, courtesy of RBIs from PJ Pacerro and Jackson Perry. While Clarksville threatened early, they didn’t get a run across until the third inning via a Kayden Pledger sacrifice fly. It took two more innings before we got any more scoring, with an RBI double from Carter Hedrick in the bottom of the fifth, followed by a screaming line drive from Anderson McAfee to score him and take the lead.

Hedrick also started for the contest and handled himself well, with a stat line of 6 hits in 4.2 innings pitched. His day ended in the top of the sixth, though, where Aiden Cano scored one on a squeeze bunt, Avery Van Rinkle slid into home on a wild pitch, and one more RBI from Paccero extended the Hawks’ lead to two. Of course, the Wildcats had an answer of two runs in the bottom of the sixth, and the two rivals headed into the final inning knotted at five apiece.

Nighttime baseball field; an older man in a black jacket hands a medal to a player in a white uniform (jersey #2) as teammates look on in the background.
Two young baseball players in blue Rosview jerseys with numbers 13 and 3 pose on the field at night, each wearing a gold medal on a ribbon.
Three young baseball players in blue Rossview uniforms with red caps stand on the field at night, each wearing a gold medal aboard a black neck ribbon and smiling at each other.
Baseball team in white uniforms high-fiving a coach on the field at night under stadium lights.
Night-time baseball field as a coach hands a clipboard to a young player in a red cap and backpack beside the baseline.
Baseball players in light blue uniforms celebrate on the field at night, two wearing medals around their necks as they applaud.
Five young baseball players stand shoulder to shoulder on a nighttime field, wearing white uniforms with medals and caps, posing for a team photo.
Nine baseball players stand in a line on the infield at night under stadium lights, hands at their sides, wearing blue, red, and white uniforms with visible numbers on their jerseys.
Three baseball players in uniforms with medals on a night field, posing for a post-game photo.
Four Clarksville baseball players stand on the field at night, each wearing a medal around the necks of their gray uniforms.
Three baseball players in Clarksville uniforms stand on the field at night with medals around their necks, posing for a photo.
Three baseball players on a field at night; center player in Clarksville uniform with a medal around his neck.

The two teams escaped the seventh unscathed, but after Dawson Smith held the Hawks scoreless in the eighth, Weatherford doubled to lead off the inning, and after a hit from Benton Barksdale, Lucas Lingg hit a sacrifice fly to walk off the Hawks for a second straight night, earning the Wildcats their second straight district title, and the “Cardiac Cats” did it again.

“That was a fantastic baseball game,” said Wildcats head coach Brian Hetland. “Happy for our guys, we had a lot of our leaders step up and make plays when they needed to. Now we’re going to enjoy the weekend, and get back fired up to go Monday.”

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