GHS knocked out of state playoffs
The Gilmer Bobcats were in LaGrange to begin the baseball state playoffs and returned home with a pair of losses.
The doubleheader to start the best of three series was held last Friday, and the hometown Grangers had their offense in order.
LHS collected six hits in game one and accepted six walks. The Cats were limited to one hit in a 12-0 loss. Nearly half of the Grangers’ hits in game two were for extra bases. While the Cats were able to generate some offense, LHS ran away for an 11-1 win.
“We had been pitching really well the past several weeks and we just didn’t pitch as well as we needed to,” said head coach Jeff Thurman. “We played pretty good defense on the balls they put in play. Unfortunately when you combine some walks, and then they run into a few hits, that’s a bad combination. They were able to have some big innings against us.
“In game one we gave up nine runs in the third inning, and in game two we gave up seven runs in the first inning. There were a lot of walks and a lot of batters hit by pitches. It’s hard to put a finger on what caused that whether it was a little bit of nerves, a long bus trip or playing a good team. I’m sure it was a combination of a little bit of all that. You have to give LaGrange credit. Their guys did a great job of not swinging at bad pitches. They were very disciplined at the plate, knew the strike zone and were able to take advantage of it. When we did throw it in the zone they were able to capitalize.”
Two walks and a double scored two for LHS in the first. Another walk and hit batter was followed by a ground out.
The Grangers’ nine-run third was supplemented by four hit batters and three walks. Coupled with four singles and a double, LHS extended its lead to 12-0. A double play started by third baseman Blake Grizzle and turned by second baseman Mel Mosley stopped the run avalanche.
GHS did not record any hits over its final two at-bats and the game was called because of run differential.
Grizzle had Gilmer’s only hit. GHS pitching: Hayden Berry 2 1/3 IP, 5 H, 12 ER, 5 BB. Jayden Grizzle 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB.
Two of the Grangers’ 11 runs in game two were unearned. LHS hammered 11 hits and five were doubles, which included four in the first inning for a 7-0 lead. Five hits followed in the third for an 11-1 edge.
Noah Gutillo doubled to begin the fifth for GHS. He made his way to third after Peyton Chancey and Grizzle were hit by pitches and scored on a wild pitch.
Mosley, Eli Cooper and Jase McCollum each had a hit for the Cats. GHS pitching: C.J. Hatchett 4H, 5 ER, 1 BB. Cooper Cochran 2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER 2 BB. Landon McClure 3 IP, 2 H, 1K.
Gilmer finished the season with a 15-16 record. The Cats’ trip to the state playoffs was their second in a row.
“I was really proud of the guys for getting back to the playoffs,” Thurman said. “We hope that becomes the mentality we have and every year that’s what we want to compete for. Every time you get there you gain a little more experience. For this series, we found out what it was like to make a long bus trip and play against someone we don’t know a whole lot about who has a lot of athletic tradition. It showed with their team. Our guys get to see that and what it’s like. Hopefully, we can build upon that and get closer to what they’ve got. That way in the future, the next time we have that opportunity, we put ourselves in a better position to be prepared for it.”