Gilmer High started its Region 7-3A baseball schedule with a three-game series.
The GHS Bobcats faced Dawson County last week, and the Tigers won all three games. Gilmer hosted game one last Tuesday, and the Tigers got away with a 3-2 win.
A Thursday double header in Dawson concluded the series, and Gilmer was shaky in the field for a 12-3 loss. Game three was another tight one, and the Tigers got the sweep with a 2-1 victory.
Gilmer left seven runners stranded in scoring position in the opener.
“I was very proud of how our guys competed and handled themselves from the first inning to the last,” said head coach Jeff Thurman. “We knew Dawson is a good team, and we were excited to see how this year’s team is going to carry itself in region games. Obviously we’re not happy with the outcome, especially in a game where we were right there with a chance to win and let it slip away.”
The Bobcats got out of a jam in the first inning when Dawson loaded the bases with no outs. After hitting Dawson’s No. 3 hitter, GHS pitcher Austin Zabala fanned the next two Tigers. While a DCHS base runner slid safely into second on a fielder’s choice as the game’s first run scored, an ensuing groundout to shortstop Eli Cooper ended the inning.
Cooper then got the offense going in Gilmer’s half of the first with a base hit to right. He later scored to tie the game when Dalton Crisp singled up the middle with two outs.
GHS had runners at the corners with two outs in the second, but Haden West was caught attempting to steal second. In the third, Cooper tripled to right with one out. He trotted home on Noah Gutillo’s infield hit. The inning ended when Gutillo was thrown out at third, and GHS led, 2-1.
GHS threatened again in the fourth. Blake Grizzle reached on an error ahead of Hayden Berry’s double to deep center. However, DCHS got the two outs needed to leave them in scoring position.
A single, stolen base and base hit to center allowed Dawson to tie the game at 2-2 in the fifth.
GHS loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning but once again came away empty-handed. Will Capstick attempted to swipe home on a wild pitch, but the Tigers scrambled to retrieve the ball and made the throw for the out. A groundout kept GHS off the scoreboard.
DCHS manufactured the go-ahead run in the seventh. A hard line drive glanced off Zabala’s glove and the Tiger reached first safely. A sacrifice bunt and throwing error allowed him to advance to third, and he scored on a fielder’s choice for the second out.
Grizzle started Gilmer’s comeback bid with a walk, and he moved to second on Zabala’s sacrifice bunt. Gutillo then drew a two-out walk, but a final strikeout gave Dawson the win.
Zabala tossed a complete game and allowed an earned run and seven hits while striking out five.
“We were proud to play a clean game for the most part. We were not happy with our base running. We have to do a better job. You can never say one play caused us to lose, but certainly our base running cost us at times,” Thurman said.
“We work on it and talk about it a lot, but it didn’t do us very good. There were times where we made the right read to advance to the next base, but were just too hesitant in that read.”
Gilmer had a rough going in game two Thursday. Dawson scored a run in every inning with 13 hits. GHS committed four errors and five Tiger runs were unearned, while Bobcat pitchers combined to issue eight walks.
Dawson scored a run in the first and fourth innings, two in the fifth and sixth, and three in both the second and third.
“We came out flat, didn’t have a lot of energy and it showed,” Thurman said. “We did struggle to get ahead in the count (offensively) and struggled with our command pitching, which put us behind and put a really good-hitting team in some good-hitting counts. Dawson was able to take advantage and had a lot of hard-hit balls on 2-0 and 3-0 counts. We were flat in all areas.”
Gilmer plated a run in the first and two in the third. Cooper finished with three hits and scored two runs from his leadoff spot. Ethan McCollum recorded a hit and RBI, and Gutillo drove in Gilmer’s other earned run. Zabala, West and Brandon Davis all had a hit for GHS.
With little time between games, the Bobcats were able to gather themselves to perform much better.
“We challenged them and they stepped up and played another really good baseball game,” said Thurman. “Unfortunately, we came out on the wrong side, much like the first game of the series. I’d say we had more guys in scoring position than they did. All we needed was that timely two-out hit but just didn’t get it.”
The third game of the series was similar to the first, and Dawson’s runs came through the first two innings. The Tigers started things off with a lead off homer. In the second, a double, single and balk plated their second run.
GHS had six hits on the day, but the Bobcats were only able to break through for a run in the sixth inning. Grizzle reached on an error with one out and moved up a base on Berry’s sacrifice. Mel Mosley’s base hit to right scored Grizzle, and GHS was retired in order in the seventh.
Gilmer left five runners standing in scoring position and struck out seven times. DCHS outhit the Bobcats seven to six. Mosley and Gutillo each had two hits, while McCollum and Crisp had one apiece.
Both of Dawson’s runs were earned. Crisp walked one and struck out five.
“Dalton had an outstanding outing and pitched six innings. Eli Cooper was just superb all week. He had a really good series with six hits. He was on base all week long and had a really good week playing defense as well,” said Thurman.
Gilmer has a 6-7 record and faces Lumpkin County (8-6 overall) this week. Game one was played at press deadline. The Indians will host game two Thursday, and the final game will be Friday in Ellijay.
All games are set to begin at 5:55 p.m.