Gilmer High baseball dropped a pair of nonregion games ahead of its Region 6-4A schedule.
The Bobcats were at home Tuesday and hosted the Coosa Eagles, who scored early and took advantage of GHS errors en route to a 5-0 win.
The Cats’ Friday game versus Fannin was rained out, and they made their way to Rome Saturday to take on the Darlington School Tigers.
Defensive mishaps plagued Gilmer’s efforts, and one hit kept its offense in check. Errors accounted for three unearned runs in an 8-3 GHS loss.
Coosa scored in the top of the first off a two-out single, and it added two more runs following Bobcat errors in the second inning.
A leadoff walk and back-to-back doubles scored Coosa’s final two runs in the fifth.
GHS was limited to four hits. Blake Zabala collected two in the leadoff spot, and Branson Teague and Spencer Merritt each had one apiece.
Pitching: Zabala (L), 4 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 5 K, 4 BB. J. Rhodes 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 K, 4BB. Z. Miller 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 0 BB.
Tyler Wright had Gilmer’s only hit versus Darlington. GHS batters were fanned 11 times but did show some patience and drew five walks.
Gilmer’s three runs came in the sixth, which it entered down, 8-0. Zabala walked with one out, and a pair of ensuing errors gave GHS its first two runs. Ashton White reached base on the second error and came home on a wild pitch after Zach Miller flew out to right field.
Darlington totaled six hits on the day and scored a run in the second inning, two in both the third and fifth, and three crossed home plate in the fourth.
Pitching: J. Buckner 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K, 2 BB. T. Wright 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 K, 1 BB. J. Rhodes 1/3 IP, 1 H, 3R, 1 ER, 0 K, 2 BB. Zabala 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 K, 1BB. Miller 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, 1 K, 1 BB.
Gilmer has a 2-6 record and is set to begin region play this week. The three-game series against Northwest Whitfield has games scheduled at press deadline, Thursday and Friday. Thursday’s game is away, and Friday’s game will be at home. All games begin at 5:30 p.m.