CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Clarksville High School (33-6) played host to Houston (28-13) in a best-of-three series for the Class AAAA sectionals on Wednesday with a state tournament berth on the line.

Clarksville head coach Brian Hetland gave junior pitcher Porter Murff the nod in Game 1. Murff, a key part of the Wildcats’ rotation this season, came in with a 2.39 ERA. But Clarksville’s path to victory would be a tough one, as Houston countered with its ace, Tennessee commit Chandler Day.

Murff took the mound to start the game, but the anticipation from the Wildcat faithful quickly turned into concern. The Mustangs exploded for four runs on four hits in the opening inning, giving themselves an early advantage. That walk was just the beginning of control issues for the Wildcats, who issued 10 walks overall in the game.

Jack Wyatt gave Clarksville a quick answer in the bottom of the inning with a double that trimmed the lead to 4-1. However, Day worked out of the jam and stranded two Clarksville runners. The Mustangs stayed hot in the second inning, adding four more runs off Murff before Hetland made a pitching change.

“I trust Porter Murff. He’s been a guy for us all year,” Hetland said. “He just didn’t have it tonight. He wasn’t locating his pitches, and it was time to get him out and give somebody else a shot.”

Unfortunately, the switch on the mound did not stop the bleeding. Houston added five more unanswered runs as Clarksville’s pitching continued to struggle. On the other side, Day delivered a dominant performance. The future Volunteer racked up nine strikeouts, keeping the Wildcats from gaining any rhythm at the plate.

“Chandler Day is a competitor. He’s a quarterback and a pitcher,” Hetland said. “He took it to us in this game, and we didn’t handle it well. We were able to score a couple, but we just didn’t throw enough strikes or make enough plays.”

By the fifth inning, Clarksville trailed 13-2 and was in danger of losing by run rule. Houston’s 13-2 advantage through five innings was enough to end the game early and shock the home crowd.

Despite the tough loss, Clarksville still has everything to play for. If the Wildcats can win Thursday and Friday, they will still punch their ticket to the state tournament. Hetland is keeping his team focused on the task ahead. “We told our team we have to move on from this game,” Hetland said. “That’s why it’s a three-game series. Game 1 isn’t going to win it or lose it for you.”

There is a silver lining for Clarksville fans: The Wildcats have only lost back-to-back games once all season. Resilience is a key part of the program’s identity, and Hetland believes that will shine through when it matters most. “We just have to flush this game,” he said. “It was the worst game we’ve had all year, and we need to respond. It’s a competitive team, and we’ve played well all year. A game like that can happen. It’s just not an ideal time for it to happen.”

The Wildcats will look to prove Game 1 was a fluke on Thursday night. With a state tournament berth on the line, they will need to win the next two games to keep their season alive.

Elsewhere in Clarksville

Rossview took game one against Collierville, 11-1.

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