Gilmer High School baseball players were the lone athletes to take the field last week as most enjoyed spring break.
The GHS Bobcats met the Dawson County Tigers for a three-game series to continue region play, and game one was played Monday in Ellijay. One big hit gave the Tigers the offense they needed for a 7-2 win.
The teams were in Dawsonville Wednesday and the Tigers collected 15 hits in a five-inning victory, 16-5. The series concluded Thursday at home for the Bobcats and their late rally fell just short in an 8-6 defeat.
Dawson made the most of six walks and a hit batter in game one. They were limited to just three hits, and two came in the top of the third where the Tigers plated all seven runs.
After taking a 2-0 lead off one hit and GHS control issues, a grand slam made the score 6-0. Ensuing consecutive errors plated the Tigers’ seventh run.
Following a pair of ground outs to start the bottom of the sixth, Spencer Merritt drew a walk and Gabe Wolfson doubled. A Brock Titus single scored Merritt and courtesy runner Kobe Stonecipher.
In addition to Wolfson and Titus, Merritt, Jess Buckner, Colton Nunn and Carter Jones collected a hit for GHS. Grant Cochran pitched two innings, allowed one hit, five earned runs, walked six and struck out one. Ethan McCollum pitched the five innings and allowed two hits, an earned run and struck out one.
The Tigers had a hard time finding the strike zone in the first inning of game two, and the Bobcats were happy to take free bases. A pair of walks and single loaded the bases with two outs. Cochran drew a bases loaded walk before Stonecipher singled home Merritt.
Nunn walked with the bases loaded as well and Gilmer’s lead stood at 3-0. A Tiger solo homer got them on the board in their half of the first, and they added six more runs in the second inning.
Back-to-back singles to start the second was followed by a sacrifice fly to trim Gilmer’s lead to 3-2. Two walks preceded three consecutive errors, and the Tigers’ pulled ahead, 6-3. Another sacrifice fly made the score 7-3.
DCHS belted another solo home run in the third. Gilmer plated two runs in the fourth. Merritt singled home Buckner and later scored when Cochran grounded into a fielder’s choice as Dawson’s lead stood at 8-5.
However, DCHS collected five hits in the fourth for four runs, and three more hits in the fifth pushed the margin to 11 and brought the game to an early end.
Gilmer’s pitchers included Buckner (3 1/3 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 K, 2 BB), Branson Teague (2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 K) and Jones (2/3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 1 BB).
Five Gilmer errors in the series finale led to just one of Dawson’s seven runs being earned. However, it was the Bobcats who took advantage of defensive miscues in the first.
Teague led off the frame with a double and scored on an error. Wolfson singled in the ensuing at-bat, and Stonecipher replaced him on the base paths and later scored on another Tiger error.
DCHS plated its first earned run in the second. In the fourth, all four runs were unearned as the Tigers surged ahead, 5-2. Back-to-back errors in the fifth added the Tigers’ sixth run.
An error and double made the score 7-2 in the sixth, and a sacrifice fly gave Dawson a six-run cushion.
But the Bobcats were not ready to go down quietly. In the sixth, a one-out Cochran double to right was followed by a single by Nunn for Gilmer’s third run. A two-out, two-run triple by Teague cut the Tiger’s edge to 8-5.
The Cats added their sixth and final run in the seventh when Cochran flew out to center field.
GHS outhit the Tigers 10-9 but left five runners stranded in scoring position. Teague led the way offensively with three hits on the day.
Seth Darling (4 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 6 k, 3 BB) started on the mound for GHS and was later replaced by Teague (3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB).
GHS is 4-18 overall and will take on Lumpkin County this week. Game one was away Monday, Wednesday’s game will be at GHS, and the final game will be at LCHS. All games start at 5:55 p.m.
Gilmer will also take the field for a nonregion game Thursday versus Southeast Whitfield at 5:55 p.m. Its senior players will be recognized prior to the first pitch.