Tennessee smokes Chattanooga in season opener

KODAK, Tenn. (WVLT) - The Tennessee Smokies opened the long awaited 2022 season at home Friday night against in-sate rival, Chattanooga Lookouts. The Tennessee Smokies (1-0) powered past the Chattanooga Lookouts (0-1) with an 8-0 win at Smokies Stadium on Friday.

It may have been a cold night, but the bats were warm for the Smokies. Tennessee got on the bases early and often in this game.

Bryce Ball and Bryce Windham brought in two runs in the first inning to give the home team a 2-0 advantage. Pitcher Cam Sanders would complement the offensive efforts by striking out the first three batters in the top of the second inning. The Smokies’ staff mowed down the Lookouts with 14 combined strikeouts. For the second-consecutive year, Sanders once again delivered a strong Opening Night start. The right-hander tossed four scoreless innings, highlighted by eight strikeouts.

Reliever Bryan Hudson (1-0) earned the win with four strikeouts in two perfect innings. Javier Assad then fired two scoreless frames in his 2022 debut. Brandon Hughes closed the door in the ninth and retired Chattanooga in order.

The Smokies would continue this performance for the rest of the night.

Tennessee added another run in the second inning and two more in the third. They wouldn’t strike against until the eighth inning where Yonathan Perlaza drove home a pair on an RBI single before a Delvin Zinn sac fly made it an 8-0 lead.

Chattanooga would be held to zero runs and just three hits.

The Smokies go on to win their season opener 8-0.

First-year manager Michael Ryan said, ”If we play hard and play the right way the scoreboard will take care of itself. That’s what we’re going to do each night. You know sometimes we’ll be on the top of the scoreboard, sometimes we’ll be on the bottom of the scoreboard. But we’re going to play hard, we’re going to play the right way and we’re going to show up. That’s all you can ask.”

The series continues Saturday. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m..