The Gilmer Bobcats kept their playoff hopes afloat with more region wins.
GHS took on the White County Warriors last week, and the Cats bookended the series with victories. Game one was Monday in Ellijay, and the Bobcats offense caught fire early for an 11-6 victory.
Game two was Thursday in Cleveland, and a sixth inning Warrior rally saw the Bobcats fall, 9-7. The series wrapped up the following evening, and the Bobcats made quick work of White in a 6-1 home win.
“We’re happy to win another series,” said head coach Jeff Thurman. “Friday’s game wasn’t a must-win, but whichever team won was going to put themselves in position to control their own destiny. It was big for us because we now have the tiebreaker over White, Lumpkin and Wesleyan. It gives us a little advantage going into this last week.”
The Bobcats racked up 32 hits in the series, and 13 of those came in the opener. Both Eli Cooper and Noah Gutillo collected three hits, while Hayden Berry and Dalton Crisp each had two.
Three straight walks loaded the bases for WHCS in the first, and a single to center scored two. GHS loaded the bases in its at-bat as well with three base hits. Crisp’s two-run single to right tied the score, and Berry’s double added a third run. A Warrior error gave GHS a 4-2 edge.
A bases loaded walk cut Gilmer’s lead to a run in the second, but the Cats added three more runs in their half. Cooper reached base with a one-out single and scored on Gutillo’s ensuing double. McCollum drew a walk, and Berry’s two-out double moved Gilmer ahead, 7-3.
The Bobcats continued to add to their lead in the third. Blake Grizzle was hit by a pitch, and Cooper singled to center. Gutillo made the score 10-3 with one swing of the bat with a three-run homer to center.
WCHS got two runs back in the fifth, and Mel Mosley’s RBI hit to center made the score 11-5 in Gilmer’s favor. A walk and consecutive singles plated the Warriors’ final run in the seventh.
GHS pitching: Austin Zabala (W) 4 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 5 K, 8 BB. Haden West 2 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 K, 2 BB. Ethan McCollum 2/3 IP, 1 K.
McCollum joined Grizzle and Mosley with one hit.
Gutillo doubled home Gilmer’s initial run in the first inning of game two. WCHS was able to load the bases in its half, and two singles and a fielder’s choice allowed the Warriors to take a 3-1 lead.
McCollum and Zabala got the fourth inning going with a walk and single. They both moved up a base on Mosley’s sacrifice bunt, and McCollum scored when West grounded out.
In the fifth, Gutillo’s solo home run to right tied the game at 3-3. With two outs, Berry doubled, and McCollum and Zabala each added a run with base hits. Gilmer moved ahead 6-3 on West’s hit to center.
WCHS put a rally together in the sixth. A triple and single with one out cut the Cats’ lead to two. Three straight walks plated a fifth run, and another walk tied the score, 6-6. A bases loaded double put GHS in a three-run hole.
Zabala’s fourth hit of the day knocked in a run in the seventh, but that was as close as the Cats would get. Zabala and West both drove in two runs, and McCollum had two hits.
GHS pitching: Crisp 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 K, 4 BB. C.J. Hatchett 2/3 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 K, 2 BB.
The series finale was an efficient 90-minute masterpiece by McCollum and the Cats. He pitched a complete game while striking out seven and walking two. The Warriors’ lone run in the top of the seventh was unearned.
The Cats continued the theme of the series and wasted little time getting their offense going in game three. Cooper smashed a double to center to begin the first before Berry was plunked with a pitch.
Gutillo’s single to right got GHS on the board, and he motored to second base on the throw home. Cooper scored easily, and the Warriors’ catcher sent the ball into center field attempting to throw out Gutillo. Berry raced home on the error.
Crisp’s double then gave GHS a 3-0 lead. McCollum grounded out to move Crisp to third, who scored when Grizzle grounded out to second.
Gilmer’s bats were clicking again in the second. Cooper and Berry strung together two-out hits, and they both scored on Gutillo’s single to right.
Gilmer held on to its 6-0 lead until the seventh. An error started the inning, and the Warrior advanced to third on two groundouts and scored on a wild pitch.
GHS collected nine hits, and Gutillo led the way with three. Aside from the aforementioned players, Mosley also had a hit on the day.
Gilmer is in fourth place in the standings and defeated West Hall 21-3 Monday night to improve to 7-9 versus region opponents.
A series sweep will put Gilmer in the state playoffs. If the Cats win just two games and Lumpkin County sweeps Wesleyan, then the Cats will not advance to the playoffs.
The West Hall series will conclude today with a home double header. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m., and Bobcat seniors will be recognized between games.