By Matthew Lutey
MURFREESBORO – “Everything” wasn’t enough for a state baseball championship this season for Greeneville.
But it was enough for coach Andy Collins in terms of what his players gave him this season, which included 41 wins and a runner-up finish in the Class 3A tournament.
The Greene Devils’ season concluded on Friday afternoon with a 3-1 loss to Crockett County at Siegel High School in the championship game.
Greeneville (41-10) was going for its second straight title, and third in the past four seasons. However, it ran into a rain delay of more than four hours, and a Mr. Baseball finalist at pitcher.
While it’s become the standard for the Greene Devils to make the trip to Murfreesboro – this senior class did it all four times – every group is different.
This season, Collins emphasized the word team on multiple occasions.
Not that there weren’t several key contributors last season, too. You don’t win a state title without that.
Still, current Vanderbilt player and 2025 Mr. Baseball winner Carson Quillen’s .512 batting average, 36 RBIs and 49 stolen bases at the plate, along with his 10-1 pitching record, couldn’t help take up a lot of the spotlight.
This season that light emitted in all different directions, anchored by seniors Maddox Bishop, Tegan Begley and Will Harmon, and junior Kaine Ricker.
“They did give us everything,” Collins said.
“That’s 41 wins, against some really tough opponents. We can go down the list, Bearden, Science Hill and some of those wins like that.
“And that was as a team I think as much as anything. The seniors kind of did that. And right up until the very end, played the game hard. They gave us everything that they can, and that’s all I can expect. I hope that they showed the younger kids, just give me all you can give and let the chips fall where they may at that point.”
Crockett County pitcher Carter Winders held the Greeneville offense in check, allowing only three hits, one run (unearned) and striking out seven.
He was so dominant, the senior drew comparisons to none other than Quillen.
“I tip my hat to that guy (Winders),” Collins said.
Tegan said it, he played travel ball with that kid, and he gave an analogy before the game, he said ‘he’s just like Carson Quillen,’ and that was a great analogy that he made, because he just came right after you.”
Right as the rain started to come down, Greeneville took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single from Kase Spradlen in the bottom of the second.
But that was it for the Greene Devils’ scoring.
Greeneville junior pitcher Grayson Crosby kept his team within reach, pitching a complete game and only giving up three runs (all unearned) and five hits to a team that scored 38 runs in five tournament games leading up to the championship.
Crockett County took the lead with a run in the fourth inning and two in the fifth.
Bishop had seven RBIs during Greeneville’s time at state. Harmon struck out 11 in a 4-1 win over Lawrence County on Tuesday.
Those are two of the seniors that made for some emotional moments following Friday’s loss.
“Seniors have taught this group so much. They’re winners,” Collins said.
“They broke a school record, they have 41 wins. I don’t know what the state record across the board is, but I know it’s a record at Greeneville High School that I don’t think will be broken.
“ .. That was the message; it’s to be proud. There’s nothing to be sad about; it’s baseball.”