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Staff Reports

Cougars drop series opener at Cook County

Crisp County’s baseball team opened up a crucial three-game region series against rival Cook County High School (15-10 overall record) on Tuesday night in Adel.

The Cougars had a 4-0 lead after the top of the third inning, but from there the Cook Hornets outscored Crisp 6-1 over the remaining frames for a 6-5 comeback win.

Crisp opened the scoring in the top half of the second inning after Noah Walters hit a one-out double and subsequently made it to home plate on a dropped third strike.

The Cougars then added three runs to their early 1-0 lead in the top of the third frame. Dallas Pheil and Toby Stripling each reached base to open up the third inning, and Jackson Napier hit an RBI double in the next at-bat that allowed Pheil to score the second Crisp run of the day. Jack Carter knocked in the next Cougar run with an RBI groundout to second that allowed Stripling to score, and Napier scored on an error shortly after to give Crisp the 4-0 lead.

Cook put their first run of the night on the board using an RBI single from Jake Dobson. The Hornets then tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning to make the score 4-3 in favor of Crisp heading into the fifth frame.

The Hornets took their first lead of the game at 6-4, with three runs in the bottom of the fifth on two hits, a walk, and one Cougar error.

Crisp responded with a run in the top of the sixth to pull back to within one score of the Hornet lead. Carter led off the top half of the sixth frame with a walk and subsequently stole second base. Connor Richmond picked up an infield hit in the next at bat to give the Cougars runners at first and third with no outs, and Walters followed with an RBI groundout for the fifth Crisp County run of the day. Tanner Massey singled to left in the next at bat and Cole Lancaster then drew a walk to load up the bases for Crisp, but Cook got out of the inning without giving up the lead after a pair of strikeouts from Brock Revels.

From there, Cook held on for the 6-5 region victory after holding the Cougars scoreless in the top of the seventh.

Napier and Walters led the Cougar batting lineup with one hit, one RBI and one run scored apiece. Other offensive contributors in the game for Crisp were: Stripling- one hit and one run scored; Carter- one walk, one RBI, and one run; Massey- one hit and one RBI; Pheil- one walk and one run; Richmond- one hit.

Richmond started the game for Crisp and pitched four innings and one-third, in which he conceded four runs (three earned) on two hits and two walks, while recording one strikeout. Walters pitched an inning and two thirds in relief and allowed two unearned runs on two walks and one hit, while striking out three batters.

Crisp County fell to 10-13 overall on the season with a record of 0-4 in region 1-AAA competition after the defeat against Cook on Tuesday.

The Cougars are scheduled to finish up the three-game region set versus the Hornets with a double-header in Cordele today beginning at 4:30 p.m. Crisp will close out the regular season with a three-game region series against Monroe High beginning with game one in Albany on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., and concluding with a double-header in Cordele next Friday starting at 4:30.

 

Wilcox run-rules Atkinson at home, falls at Pelham

The Wilcox County High School baseball team played games on Tuesday and Thursday of this week and came up with a 1-1 split in the contests.

The Patriots picked up a home region win over Atkinson County by a score of 14-4 on Tuesday evening to boost their hopes at getting into postseason play. Following Tuesday’s result, Wilcox traveled to take on the Pelham Hornets and fell by a final score of 7-5.

Patriots 14, Atkinson 4

Atkinson struck first in the contest with a run in the top of the opening inning, but the Patriots tied the score in the bottom half of the frame when Rhett Davis scored on a wild pitch.

Wilcox took their first lead of the game with a run in the second inning, before subsequently picking up five more scores in the third.

Bo Keene scored the second inning run for the Patriots on an Atkinson passed ball. Cameron Coleman, Brock White, Clark Gaines and Branson Owens all had RBIs in the third inning to stretch the Wilcox lead out to 7-1 entering the top of the fourth.

After a scoreless fourth inning, Atkinson used three runs in the top of the fifth frame to cut the Patriot lead to 7-4, but Wilcox finished the game off for the 14-4 run-rule region win by scoring seven runs in the bottom half of the fifth.

Gaines, White, Desmond Tisdol, Coleman, and Cameron Patterson each picked up RBIs in the fifth inning to help Wilcox pile up the seven runs.

Davis got the win on the mound for Wilcox by pitching all five innings and allowing just two earned runs on four hits and four walks, while striking out four batters.

Wilcox County batting order stats from the win:

1. Patterson- three hits, one walk, one stolen base, one RBI, and two runs scored

2. Davis- one walk, one hit by pitch, and two runs scored

3. Owens- one hit, one walk, one hit by pitch, one RBI and two runs

4. Gaines- two walks and two RBIs

5. White- one hit, one walk, two RBIs, and one run

6. Tisdol- one hit by pitch and one sacrifice fly RBI

7. Lagan Luke- one hit, one hit by pitch, one stolen base, and two runs scored

8. Keene- two HBPs and three runs scored

9. Coleman- one hit, one walk, one stolen base, one RBI, and two runs

Pelham 7, Patriots 5

In Thursday’s game at Pelham, the Patriots were ahead 3-2 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Hornets tallied five runs in the frame to take a 7-3 lead.

Wilcox was able to pull back to within two runs of the lead in the seventh inning on RBI hits by Owens and Patterson, but Pelham ultimately held on to defeat the Patriots 7-5.

Wilcox batting lineup stats for the loss at Pelham:

1. Patterson- three hits and one RBI

2. Davis- two HBPs and one run scored

3. Owens- one hit, one walk, one RBI and two runs

4. Gaines- one walk

5. White- one hit and one run

6. Trace Jones- one hit and one RBI

7. Luke- one hit and one HBP

8. Keene- one walk and one RBI

9. Coleman- one walk and one run scored

The Patriots brought their record to 7-10 overall on the season with the results from Tuesday and Thursday.

The results from so far this season have Wilcox in a close battle with several other schools for the last few playoff spots in GHSA class A, and as of Friday afternoon Wilcox was hanging on to the number 23 spot in the playoff rankings. The top 24 teams in class A make it into the playoffs at the conclusion of the regular season.

The Patriots are scheduled for a game at Turner County this afternoon at 5:30 p.m. Wilcox will host Echols County on Thursday evening beginning at 6 p.m. for their regular season finale.

 

Fullington tops Open Bible Christian 17-8 in extra innings

The Fullington Academy baseball team picked up their fourth win of the season on Tuesday afternoon in Valdosta by defeating Open Bible Christian School by a final score of 17-8.

After falling behind 8-1 three innings into the game, the Trojans mounted a late comeback in the top half of the seventh frame to force the game into extra innings with the teams tied at 8-8. Fullington then scored nine runs in the top of ninth inning to seal the victory.

The Trojans scored their first run of the game during the top of the third inning when Jack McLeod hit an RBI single to left field that allowed Brooks Hendrix to score.

Open Bible then scored five runs in the bottom half of the third for their 8-1 lead, but from there Fullington scored 16 unanswered over the remainder of the contest to come up with the win.

The Trojans scored one run in the top of the sixth, followed by six in the top of the seventh to force the game into the extra innings. Hunter Hughes scored the sixth inning run after reaching base on a fielder’s choice groundout. Fullington next got RBI hits from Blake Worley, Avery Scarboro, Josh Hendrix, and Cody Cofty for their seventh inning run scoring total.

After a scoreless eighth inning, Fullington ran away with the road win thanks to their big ninth inning. Fullington scoring plays in the top of the ninth were as follows: Josh Hendrix and Cofty drew consecutive bases loaded walks, Brooks Hendrix hit a three-run double, McLeod picked up an RBI single, Chase Bryant scored on a wild pitch, and Hughes knocked in a run with an RBI groundout.

Batting lineup stats for Fullington:

1. McLeod- three hits, two RBIs, and one run scored

2. Smith- two walks and two runs scored

3. Worley- two hits, one walk, two RBIs, and two runs

4. Hughes- one hit, two walks, one RBI, and three runs

5. Scarboro- one hit, one walk, one RBI, and one run

6. Josh Hendrix- one hit, one walk, three RBIs, and two runs

7. Cofty- one hit, one walk, two RBIs, and one run

8. Brooks Hendrix- one hit, three RBIs, and two runs

9. Bryant- four hits and two runs

Worley picked up the win on the mound after coming in during the third inning and pitching the rest of the contest for the Trojans. He finished with six and one-third innings pitched, in which he allowed just two unearned runs on two hits and one walk while recording 10 strikeouts.

The Trojans brought their overall record to 4-10 on the season with the win. The next game on Fullington’s schedule is tomorrow at Westwood with first pitch set for 12:30 p.m. Following that the Trojans get back into region play on Monday with an away game against Georgia Christian School at 4:30.