The Gilmer High Bobcats were tested right out of the gate to start their region baseball slate.
GHS faced North Hall for a three-game series last week, and the defending state champion Trojans earned a sweep.
After taking advantage of GHS errors in the first inning of game one Wednesday, the Trojans kept scoring for a 9-0 home win. The final two games took place in Ellijay. Game two was closely played and needed eight innings, but NHHS won 6-0 when its offense came alive in its final at-bat.
The series concluded Friday, and the Bobcats’ offense was held in check once more as they were defeated, 5-0.
Errors were an issue for GHS Wednesday. North Hall collected five runs off two hits in the first inning of the game. NHHS was aided by two Bobcat errors, which led to four unearned runs.
A double, single and sacrifice plated a sixth run in the third, and NHHS took a 7-0 lead in the fourth with an infield hit, stolen base and hit to left field. The Trojans added two more runs in the sixth.
Billy Goswick had two hits for Gilmer and both Austin Zabala and Seth Darling had one. Ethan McCollum started the game and tossed four innings and allowed three earned runs while striking out two and walking two. Goswick pitched the fifth and sixth innings and gave up a hit and walked four.
Game two was a pitchers’ duel between Gilmer’s Grant Cochran and the Trojans’ Hunter Brooks. Both threw seven scoreless innings, and Brooks fanned 13, walked two and allowed one hit. Cochran gave up five hits, walked three and struck out six.
Cochran and Gilmer’s defense continually made plays through the first five innings after Trojan hits as seven base runners were stranded in scoring position.
Both teams entered relivers into the game for the eighth, and NHHS was finally able to break through. They managed five hits in the inning, which included a pair of doubles and a triple. They also took advantage of two walks and a hit batter to open a 6-0 lead.
Gilmer was retired in its half of the eighth as the Trojans took game two. Branson Teague had Gilmer’s lone hit. Carter Jones pitched the eighth inning and struck out one and walked one.
The Bobcats’ two hits in game three belonged to brothers Austin Zabala and Blake Zabala. GHS cleaned up its defense and did not commit any errors on the day. NHHS tallied eight hits and scored two runs in the second and sixth innings and another in the third.
Darling started the game on the mound for GHS and allowed four hits, three earned runs and struck out four and walked two in four innings of work. Austin Zabala pitched the last three innings and gave up four hits, two earned runs, walked three and struck out one.
GHS faces East Forsyth this week, and the Broncos won game one Monday, 4-3. EFHS outhit the Cats 8-7 as timely hits eluded Gilmer.
The Broncos plated two runs in the first and one in the second and sixth innings. GHS got a run back in the third when Cochran singled to right and scored on Austin Zabala’s base hit to left. In the sixth, Teague scored on a wild pitch, and Blake Zabala came home when Austin Zabala grounded out to second.
The Zabala brothers both had two hits on the day. McCollum pitched six innings, struck out three, walked two and gave up seven hits and two earned runs. Goswick pitched the sixth and allowed a hit and struck out one.
GHS is 5-6 overall, and game two will be on the road, and the finale will be Friday in Ellijay. All games start at 5:55 p.m.