Colonels open region slate with win over 7th-ranked Villa Rica

Cass baseball scored seven runs over the Colonels’ final three offensive frames and won a back-and-forth Region 7-AAAAA tilt with 7th-ranked Villa Rica Monday night at the Cass Athletic Complex, 10-6. The visiting Wildcats out hit Cass ten to eight, but the Colonels took advantage of more scoring opportunities.

Cass took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Villa Rica tied the score in the top of the second. The Colonels went back ahead with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to lead 6-3. Photo by TCPics: Blaine Ingram followed up an All-Tournament Team performance at the Toyo Tires Battle for Bartow Baseball Classic with a two-hit game at Villa Rica.

Villa Rica answered again in the top of the sixth with three runs to knot the score again at 6-6, but a four-run bottom of the sixth for Cass made the difference in the Colonels’ 10-6 win.

Three pitchers kept Cass in the contest. Jayden Smith (5 IP, 3ER, 6H, 3BB, 3K) started and received no decision. Clay Means (1 IP, 3R, 2ER, 3H, 1BB) gave up the lead in the sixth inning, but was credited with the pitching win when the Colonels rallied in the bottom of the frame. Thomas Botts (1 IP, 0R, 1H, 2K) closed out the seventh inning.

Logan Nelson (2 RBIs), Blaine Ingram (photo), and Matt Shook (double) paced the Cass offense with two hits each. Bryson Markley, Means, and Botts (RBI) had the other Cass base hits. Sam Melton drove in one run with a first inning groundout and another with a bases loaded walk in the sixth. Smith drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. Villa Rica slipped to 3-6 overall and is now 0-1 in region action. Cass (5-4, 1-0) plays at Villa Rica Wednesday at 5:55 p.m.