Gilmer Bobcats got over the hump for their first region baseball wins of the season.
The Cats’ first two region series included four one-run losses. That is how last week’s three-game series started Tuesday at LaFayette. It was a low-scoring game that ended with the Ramblers winning in the seventh inning, 3-2.
GHS came alive in Friday’s home doubleheader. The Cats only needed six innings and were aided by LHS pitching issues for an 11-1 victory. The Bobcats kept the runs coming in game three. Gilmer belted 10 hits, which included Peyton Chancey’s grand slam, as they earned their second region win, 8-4.
“Overall it was a good week because we were able to win two out of three, which is always the goal going into a region series,” said head coach Jeff Thurman. “Of our last six losses that we’ve had, four of them have been one-run games. That certainly can mentally take a toll on you.
“Obviously, we hope that’s a trend that continues. We’ve tried to tell the guys that, with as many of the one-run losses we’ve had, we can turn this thing around and win several in a row. So you just got to keep your head up and keep playing hard and wait for it to turn, and we were glad that it did on Friday.
A costly error proved to be the difference in game one as two of three Rambler runs were unearned. LHS got on the board in the second thanks to consecutive singles and a ground out.
The Cats answered in the fifth to take the lead. Zander Shute was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and he moved to second when Peyton Chancey grounded out. Consecutive RBI singles by Jayden Grizzle and Blake Grizzle followed for a 2-1 edge.
LHS strung together base hits to center in its half, and the score was even at 2-all with a sacrifice fly.
The Ramblers got the seventh going with a single to center, and a throwing error allowed him to advance to third. A bunt played the winning run for LaFayette.
Cooper Cochran recorded two hits on the day and Chancey had one. Cochran tossed 5 1/3 innings, struck out seven, and allowed one earned run off six hits. Slade Holt was on the mound for an inning and gave up a hit and struck out one.
Gilmer got its offense going Friday to close out the series. The Cats made short work of the Ramblers in game one of the doubleheader. LHS pitchers issued plenty of free passes with six walks and five hit batters.
Landen McClure pitched a complete game and struck out seven, walked two, and gave up three hits.
Gilmer recorded seven hits and built its lead early. With two outs, Jayden Grizzle was hit by a pitch before Blake Grizzle walked. Both scored on Mel Mosley’s liner to center field.
Both runs came with two outs, and GHS faced two outs in the second as well before a clutch hit. Jase McCollum started the inning with a walk and stole second base. Peyton Ocobock’s two-out single to right field gave the Cats a 3-0 edge.
LHS plated an unearned run in the fifth, and Gilmer answered with five runs in its half. Five Bobcats were either walked or hit by a pitch, and the Ramblers started the inning with an error.
McCollum was walked with the bases loaded. Ocobock was hit by a pitch for the Cats’ fifth run. Chancey then sent the ball into the right-center field gap to clear the bases as runs came pouring in while he sprinted to third base. However, LHS appealed to second, and the umpire called Chancey out, stating he missed the bag.
GHS put the game away in the sixth. Ocobock was hit by a pitch once again, and Chancey walked. Jayden Grizzle’s single to right loaded the bases. Hadley McGregor was hit by another pitch to make the score 9-1. Shute ended the game with a two-run single to right.
Shute had two hits on the day. Cochran added one in addition to the aforementioned players.
Both teams racked up 10 hits in the finale, and Chancey’s grand slam in the second highlighted the game. Ahead of Chancey’s blast, both Cochran and McClure recorded RBI singles.
GHS enjoyed its six-run lead until the sixth, where the Bobcats added two more runs. With one out, McCollum doubled and scored on Cochran’s single. McClure’s base hit to center was followed by Ocobock’s double to right to expand the lead to 8-0.
The Ramblers sparked a brief rally in their final at-bat, but it was not enough. They managed four hits and a walk, but left a pair of runners in scoring position to end the game.
“We’re definitely excited to get going hot in the doubleheader in game one and get started early offensively and just kind of keep it going and keep it rolling,” Thurman said.
“In game three, the bats came alive, and the bats had not really come alive a whole lot the past couple of weeks. It was nice to see that because we’ve been pitching well. We’ve been playing some really good defense and just waiting on those bats to come alive, and they did.”
Gilmer is 7-10 overall and 2-7 in region play. GHS takes on Northwest Whitfield (8-10) this week and faced the Bruins at press deadline. Game two will be Thursday at Northwest, and Gilmer hosts the series finale Friday. Both games are scheduled for 5:30 p.m.