The Gilmer High Bobcats suffered their first baseball loss of the season.
GHS was in Jasper last Thursday to take on rival Pickens. The Dragons tallied runs in all but one at-bat and sent the Cats back to Ellijay with a 10-5 loss.
Gilmer was at home Monday to start the week versus the Southeast Whitfield Raiders. The Bobcats jumped out early, and their defense and pitching did their part in a decisive 11-1 win.
Both teams had their offenses going last Thursday. The Dragons belted 10 hits, drew eight walks and scored two unearned runs off GHS errors. The Bobcats collected eight hits and left three runners stranded in scoring position.
Bobcat seniors Seth Darling and Branson Teague came up with big hits in the first and fourth innings, respectively. They each roped doubles to plate two runs each time. Both innings also ended with GHS base runners getting gunned down.
After Pickens’ first two hitters were retired in the second, a walk and hit batter kept the inning alive. They eventually scored two runs on a passed ball and throwing error. In the third, PHS collected four hits including a double and triple for three more runs.
Pickens held a 5-4 edge entering the bottom of the fourth where it plated two more. Up 7-4, a pair of walks and two base hits accompanied by a passed ball accounted for Pickens’ eighth run. A hit batter with the bases loaded extended their lead to five.
A one-out double added the Dragons’ final run in the sixth. Grant Cochran’s single to left scored Teague for Gilmer’s last run in the seventh.
Ethan McCollum had two hits for GHS while Teague, Austin Zabala, Cochran, Darling, Billy Goswick and Carter Jones had one apiece.
Pitching: Darling 2 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 3 BB. Cochran 1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER 1 K, 1 BB. McCollum 2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 BB. Goswick 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3BB.
Southeast’s four defensive miscues led to four unearned runs Monday. McCollum reached on an error in the first inning to score Teague. An ensuing double by Cochran gave the Cats a two-run cushion.
GHS was back in business in the second. Zabala legged out an infield hit to score Noah Gutillo. After stealing his way to third, Zabala trotted home on a balk for a 4-0 Bobcat edge.
In the fourth, Goswick smacked a leadoff double off the left field fence. He scored when Gutillo reached on an error. Following Jones’ sacrifice bunt, a sacrifice fly out by Brandon Davis scored Gilmer’s sixth run.
Zabala reached on another error, and it bumped the Cats’ lead to 7-0. Southeast plated its lone run in the fifth and it was unearned.
Gilmer then took care of the rest in its half of the sixth to bring an early end to the game. GHS drew three walks to load the bases before one-run RBI singles by both McCollum and Jones and a two-run base hit by Darling.
GHS outhit the Raiders 9-2. McCollum started the game and held Southeast in check through five innings. He fanned seven, walked one and gave up two hits. Goswick tossed the sixth and struck out one.
Gilmer is 4-1 overall and hosted Union County at press deadline. GHS hosts Pickens Wednesday at 5 p.m.