The Gilmer High Bobcats claimed their second region baseball series of the season.
The Cats took on Calhoun last week, and the Yellow Jackets dropped the first two games. The Cats hit the road Tuesday, and their bats were booming. GHS mashed three home runs and came away with an 8-5 win.
At home two days later, Gilmer jumped to a quick start and held CHS in check, 3-1. The series wrapped up Friday in Calhoun, and the Jackets doubled the Cats’ hits and won, 10-4.
The Bobcats scored all of their game-one runs when they sent the ball over the fence.
Leadoff hitter Mel Mosley took the second pitch of the game and parked it beyond the left field fence.
Meanwhile, the Yellow Jackets scored all of their runs in the first three innings. They strung together a double and single for their first run. A bases loaded infield hit made it 2-1 in their favor.
CHS started its second at-bat with a double. Two errors added two more runs for a three-run edge.
In the third, the Cats’ bats evened the score. Eli Cooper’s single started the inning, and Blake Grizzle drew a one-out walk. Peyton Chancey’s homer to center made it 4-4.
Calhoun slipped back ahead with a bases loaded hit in its half for a final run.
The Cats responded in their following at-bat, and this time it was Noah Gutillo. Landon McClure’s leadoff single preceded C.J. Hatchett’s bunt. Mosley was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Gutillo’s grand slam cleared the right-field fence for an 8-5 Bobcat lead.
CHS collected two of its 10 hits over its final four at-bats. Timely hits eluded the Jackets, and Calhoun left eight total runners stranded in scoring position.
Both Gutillo and Chancey had two hits on the day. McClure pitched five innings for the win. He struck out two, walked two and gave up six hits and an earned run. Slade Holt got the start and allowed a pair of earned runs off three hits and walked two. Cooper Cochran closed out the game in the seventh. He struck out one and gave up a hit.
GHS did all of its damage in the first inning of game two. The Cats loaded the bases when Cooper and Gutillo drew walks and Grizzle was hit by a pitch. Chancey’s single to left plated two runs. Grizzle scored when Cochran reached on an error for a 3-0 lead.
CHS got its only run in the fourth thanks to a one-out single and two-out double.
Hatchett earned the win and walked one and gave up five hits over five innings. Cochran took the hill for the sixth and seventh innings and fanned two.
Gutillo, Grizzle, Hayden Berry and Rob Mosley each had a hit for the Bobcats to give them five for the day.
Calhoun notched 12 hits and swiped six bases in the finale. All but two of the Jackets’ runs were earned, and the game was even through two innings.
Mel Mosley singled to begin the game and scored on Grizzle’s base hit to center. CHS plated a run in the first as well, and the Bobcats added three more runs in the second.
Hits by Cochran and Hatchett and a McClure walk loaded the bases. An error moved GHS ahead by a run, and McClure scored when Cooper drew a walk. Grizzle was hit by a pitch yet again, and Hatchett trotted home for a 4-1 Bobcat lead.
CHS racked up six hits in its half of the inning, which included a pair of doubles. With the score even at 4-4, two hits and two walks in the third allowed Calhoun to push its lead to 7-4. Three more hits, a fielder’s choice and a walk in the fourth scored three more runs as GHS fell behind by six.
Following the second inning, Gilmer was retired in order over its final five at-bats aside from the seventh. Cooper and Gutillo singled but were stranded in scoring position.
Grizzle had two hits on the day. GHS pitching: Berry 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 1 BB. Holt 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB. Jase McCollum 2/3 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 2 BB. Gutillo 1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 K, 1 BB. Jayden Grizzle 2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 K.
GHS is 8-14 overall and 5-10 versus region opponents. The Bobcats hosted Murray County Tuesday for a senior night doubleheader. They travel to Towns County Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. game.