Rain dampened the Bobcats’ baseball schedule to begin the week, but they were finally able to take the field by the end.
After last Monday’s matchup versus Gordon Central was rained out, the GHS Bobcats’ Thursday game against Southeast Whitfield was postponed to Saturday. Gilmer was already scheduled to face the Raiders that day, so they met for a double header, and the Bobcats came away with a pair of wins.
GHS built a seven-run lead through three innings and plated two more in the seventh. Southeast added five runs to their tally in the bottom half of the inning, but their rally fell short as GHS won, 9-6.
Gilmer’s pitching and defense kept the Raiders’ offense in check in game two. The Bobcats tacked on two runs in the sixth and seventh for a 4-0 victory.
While Eli Cooper scored on an error in the first inning of game one, it was Gilmer’s next at-bat that put the Raiders in a bind.
Brandon Davis and Austin Zabala singled and stood on third and second base with two outs. Cooper’s double scored both, and he trotted home when Brock Titus doubled to center for a 4-0 lead. Next up was Noah Gutillo, and his blast to center cleared the fence for a two-run homer.
Carter Jones singled to lead off the third and eventually scored Gilmer’s seventh run on a Raider wild pitch.
A double and groundout got a run back for SHS in the fourth, but no more runs were scored until the seventh.
Davis’ base hit to right scored Jones, who reached on an error. Aiden McClure got on the base paths with a fielder’s choice, and he stole home for a 9-1 Bobcat advantage.
Southeast’s five-run seventh included one hit and was aided by a hit batter, two walks and three GHS errors. Just one run in the inning was earned, and Gilmer came away with a three-run win.
Ethan McCollum was the winning pitcher and went four innings and struck out four, walked one and gave up a hit and one earned run. Cooper Cochran tossed the fifth and walked two.
Hayden Berry took the hill for the sixth and seventh innings and surrendered four hits and an earned run while striking out one.
Cooper and Gutillo both recorded two RBIs. Cooper also had three hits while Titus, Jones and Davis had two each.
GHS outhit Southeast 8-5 in game two, and the two teams were knotted in a 0-0 tie for five innings. Gutillo had another big hit when he started the sixth with a triple. Davis walked, and GHS pulled ahead 2-0 on Berry’s line drive to center.
In the seventh, Gilmer came up clutch with two outs. Jones’ double scored McCollum, who kicked off the inning with a base hit to left. Davis singled before McClure walked to load the bases, and the Bobcats led 4-0 when Berry was hit by a pitch.
SHS was able to advance a runner into scoring position in its half of the seventh, but Cochran got the final out to preserve the win.
Jones nearly went the distance and pitched 6 2/3 innings. He limited Southeast to five hits while striking out six and walking one.
McCollum, Jones and Davis all notched a pair of hits in the game, while Berry drove in three runs.
Gilmer lost to Fannin County 7-1 Monday night and is 4-4 on the season. GHS met Union County at press deadline and will travel to Union Friday for a 5:30 p.m. game.
Junior varsity
The junior varsity Bobcats hosted Pickens last Wednesday, and the Dragons belted 11 hits in a 12-2 win.
PHS also took advantage of six walks on the day, and three of their 11 hits went for extra bases. Gilmer fell behind 1-0 after an inning and 5-0 after three.
A throwing error led to the Cats’ first run in the fourth. Bobcat Kanyon Connel then grounded out to plate Blake Grizzle, who reached on an infield hit.
The Dragons were able to add five more runs in the fifth and two in the sixth for a 12-2 lead. The game was called when GHS was unable to score in the bottom half of the inning.
Mel Mosley and Cooper Cochran also had a hit for Gilmer. GHS pitching: Landen McClure 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 4 ER, 4 BB. C.J. Hatchett 1 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 K.