Diamond Roundup: Colonels rally for walk-off win over 7th-ranked Kell; Woodland sweeps region DH; T
Brett Gaddy singled into right field Thursday night to drive in Zach Yancey for a walk-off, game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning that capped a furious comeback by the Cass Colonels in a 7-6 victory over visiting, 7th-ranked Kell.
With the game knotted at 6-6 going to the home half of the seventh, Yancey led off with a single and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Cody Johnson. After Nathan Smith was hit by a pitch, Gaddy provided the game winning hit.
The final inning dramatics were set up by a Bailey Campbell home run to tie the game in the sixth inning. Down 6-4, Clay Means singled with one out and Campbell (photo) powered one over the centerfield wall to tie the game.
Yancey drove in a Cass run in the fifth inning that pulled the Colonels to within two runs. RBIs by Gavin Young (groundout) and Clay Means (single) plated the first two Cass runs in the bottom of the second.
Kell posted two runs in the first inning and another in the second to take an early 3-0 lead. The Longhorns added three more runs in the top of the fourth to lead 6-2.
Yancey (3.1 IP, 6R, 5ER, 9H, 0BB, 4K) started on the rubber for Cass. Johnson (3.2 IP, 0R, 1H, 4BB, 5K, photo left) earned the pitching win after taking the mound in the fourth inning.
Colby Arthur suffered the pitching loss for Kell without retiring a batter in the seventh. He relieved starter Chris Smith (6 IP, 6R, 2ER, 8H, 3BB, 8K).
The two teams finished with ten hits each.
Josh Blancato, Noah Dawkins, and Hunter Moody combined for six hits and three RBIs to lead the Longhorns’ offense.
Eight different Colonels had hits with Means (photo right) and Yancey collecting two and one RBI each.
Campbell (2-run HR), Jake Collum (double), Steven Spell, Johnson, Smith, and Gaddy (GW RBI) had the other Cass hits.
Kell falls to 16-8 overall and 6-4 in Region 7AAAAA with the loss and will play the Colonels in the second game of their region series Friday at LakePoint in Emerson at 3pm.
Cass improved to 14-11 overall and is now 7-5 in region play.
PHOTO CREDITS: TCPics Photography / Susan and Travis Cochran
WOODLAND SWEEPS REGION DH WITH PAULDING COUNTY
Woodland swept a Region 7AAAAA doubleheader with Paulding County Thursday at LakePoint in Emerson, winning 12-1 and 3-2.
The Wildcats pounded out 18 hits in their 12-1 victory while pitchers Cauy Williams (6 IP, 1R, 0ER, 1H, 2BB, 8K, photo left) and Bailey Ward (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 1K) combined to one-hit the Patriots.
In the 3-2 win, Woodland scored twice in the fourth inning to take a 2-1 lead. Paulding County tied the game in the top of the sixth, but the Wildcats pushed across a run in the bottom of the inning to regain a 3-2 lead.
Woodland’s Tommy Peed walked two batters, but escaped the final inning without a run to garner a save and preserve the Woodland one-run victory.
Kenny Jinks (5 IP, 1ER, 5H, 1BB, 4K, photo right) started on the mound for the Wildcats. Garrett Pope (1 IP, 1ER, 2H, 0BB, 1K) picked up the pitching win by working the sixth inning.
Hunter Reaid had six hits and three RBIs in the doubleheader. Jacob Frye (double, triple, two stolen bases) and Cauy Williams finished the day with four hits and one RBI apiece. Garrett Cornett (RBI, two stolen bases) and Koby Stansel (3 RBIs) collected three hits on the day.
Noah Ludy (3 RBIs), Dylan Webb (RBI, two stolen bases), Bryce Evans, and Toby Queen had one hit each in the two games.
Paulding County falls to 8-16 overall and 2-10 in Region 7AAAAA.
Woodland (14-8, 5-5) evens its region mark and has a two-game series with Kell next Monday and Wednesday. Woodland will host the first of the two with both game times set for 5:55pm.
NORTH MURRAY 9, ADAIRSVILLE 8
The Adairsville Tigers saw an 8-3 lead get away over the final two and one-half innings Thursday night in a 9-8, extra inning loss at North Murray.
Adairsville held early leads of 4-1 after two innings and 6-3 after four frames. The Tigers then posted two more runs in the top of the sixth before the Mountaineers mounted their comeback and eventually scored the game-winner in the bottom of the eighth.
The game was deadlocked 8-8 after seven innings.
Chase Powell, the fourth pitcher utilized by the Tigers, was tagged with the loss. He allowed a leadoff single in the final inning, then committed an error with the game-winning run ultimately scoring on a passed ball.
Caden Gibbs (4.1 IP, 3ER, 5H, 2BB, 1K) started on the mound for Adairsville. Garrett Mishoe (1.2 IP, 3R, 2ER, 1H, 3BB, 2K) and Sam Seaman (1 IP, 2R, 1ER, 2H, 1BB, 1K) pitched in middle relief.
Bond (2.1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 1H, 0BB, 1K) picked up the pitching win for North Murray in relief of starter Nik Malchesky (5.2 IP, 7R, 2ER, 8H, 3BB, 5K). Malchesky and Baggett led the Mountaineers at the plate with two hits each and combined for three RBIs.
Kyler Pelfrey helped lead the Tigers offensively with three hits, one RBI, and a run scored. Taylor Whitley drove in three runs with two hits and a run scored. Seaman added two RBIs and a hit. Hunter Hice, Gibbs, and Dylan Hightower contributed one hit each. Huskins drove in a run.
With the win, North Murray is 13-5 overall and 8-2 in Region 6AAA.
Adairsville (8-14, 3-8) hosts Coahulla Creek Friday at 5:55pm.
