NEWPORT-The Cocke County High School Fighting Cocks put together their most spirited effort of the season on Friday night.

That effort was not enough to overcome three solo home runs by the Greeneville Greene Devils in the opening round of the District 2-AAA tournament at Cocke County High School.

The fourth-seeded Devils (12-15) used the trio of home runs, highlighted by a walkoff blast by catcher Justin Merkel, to sneak past the Fighting Cocks (4-22) in a 5-4 victory.

The loss for Cocke County came with various missed opportunities, by stranding three runners on base in the first two innings and surrendering a pair of two-out unearned runs in the fifth inning.

The first two innings saw the Fighting Cocks total three hits, but only able to push across a run on a suicide squeeze by Matthew Winter. The inability to capitalize on the early opportunities, including a leadoff triple by Brent Allen to begin the game, came back to haunt Cocke County after Greeneville starter Ryan Fillers retired 12 consecutive hitters after Winter's squeeze play.

"I would've liked to have seen more than one run," Cocke County coach Andy Chrisman said of the team's offensive start. "We put the bat on the ball enough to have more than a run out of it.

"We had our chances and didn't take advantage of them early," Chrisman said. "We should've put more runs on him early and he's (Fillers) the type of pitcher that gets better as things go on."

Fillers certainly improved as the course of the game continued. The Greeneville hurler struggled through the first two innings with a total of 39 pitches. However, the right-hander had only 69 pitches after five and two-thirds innings.

Cocke County senior starter Nick Glenn was just as equally dominant through the first three and one-thirds innings. Glenn did not allow a hit until Cody Duncan and Tyler Stewart connected on consecutive home runs in the fourth inning that put the Devils on top 2-1.

Both blasts by the Greeneville duo cleared the right-center field fence at a ballpark that normally does not see its share of home runs.

After surrendering the lead, Cocke County then proceded to allow a pair of costly two-out unearned runs in the fifth. A two-out error by Drew Crawford allowed Daniel Wilhoit to reach base, who scored on an RBI double by Merkel, which was hit over the head of right fielder Dusty Rhodes. Merkel then scored when Ryan Duncan reached on second baseman Travis Glenn's error.

"I told them we can't give people extra outs and that's what we did in that situation," Chrisman said. "We had mistakes in the infield and in the outfield and gave them two extra runs."

Cocke County however battled back and tied the game in their half of the sixth inning.

A two-out rally sparked by three base hits allowed the Fighting Cocks to redeem themselves for their miscues and even the score with Greeneville. Gene Warren singled home courtesy runner Will Padgett and then Crawford redeemed himself for the two-out error by slapping a two-RBI double down the right field line which tied the game.

The score remained tied until Merkel won the game with a full-count blast over the right field fence, giving the Devils the one-run win to extend their season.

Despite the loss, Chrisman remained upbeat about the about the inspired effort shown by the team.

"It's the first time all year, and I mean all year, I felt like they played as a team," Chrisman said. "They played the game of baseball. There was no body sitting down, they were all up and in the game.

"Everyone had jobs," Chrisman said. "Some of them were seeing if he (Fillers) was tipping his pitches or his pickoff moves. Everybody was together trying to win the baseball game today and that's the first time I've seen that all year."

The team had been through an interesting week of occurrences after the abrupt and immediate resignation of former head coach Wayne Stiles on Monday morning. However the situation seemed to positively affect the team as they responded to the leadership of Chrisman and Matt McNealy.

"I think the main thing was that we were focused, played as a team and we were prepared," Chrisman said. "The main thing though is the chemistry. They played together.

"They didn't play like a team that hated each others guts like they did for half of the year," Chrisman said.

That team-work came as a result of an illustration Chrisman offered the team after their final practice prior to the tournament on Thursday night.

"We did a thing with them yesterday where we spread a chain out in Jake Crawford's truck," Chrisman said. "I made them all grab the chain in a circle around the truck and I told them to pull as hard as they could and they about broke the chain.

"I told them if they pulled in one direction they could move Jake's truck," Chrisman said. "I think that clicked with them and I even heard a few of them shouting to each other to hold on to the chain."

That team work and the effort displayed on Friday night impressed the coach.

"These kids may have won four games all year but they are champions in my mind the way they played at the end of the year," Chrisman said. They knew this was it and they were thinking all year that there's always tomorrow.

"They played today like was the last chance they'd ever have and you have to play that was every day if you're going to be successful," Chrisman said.