Wednesday, April 2: The Wildcats traveled to Orange Park, Fla. to take on defending Florida State Champions, the St. John's Country Day Spartans, and came out victorious with a hard fought 8-5 win. Noah Stone got the start on the mound and pitched 4.2 strong innings, striking out 4 and spreading out 4 hits, to get the win. Eli Howard came in in relief and did an outstanding job, pitching 2 shutout innings, and not allowing a hit. Eli was also instrumental at the plate, hitting a 3-run blast over the centerfield wall, to erase a 3-run deficit. Shortstop Connor Gilkey added 2 hits, one being a homerun. Tony Berry and Grant Wagner each had 2 hits apiece. Earlier in the week, the Spartans knocked off region foe Lowndes County, 7-2.
Thursday, April 3: The 'Cats traveled to Jacksonville to take on the Bishop Kenny Crusaders and ran into a buzz saw. Crusader Ace, Caleb Pasko, pitched a 7-inning complete game, striking out 5, and only allowing 3 hits. Wildcat starting pitcher, Aiden Pluff, matched Pasko, pitching 6 complete shutout innings, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 4. The Cats scored 1 run in the 3rd and the Crusaders ruined the Florida Cruise by taking advantage of a couple walks, and an error, to get 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning, to steal the win, 2-1.
Friday, April 4: The Providence School Stallions jumped on the Cats in the 1st inning, scoring 3 runs, added another run in the 2nd, and then busted the game wide open, scoring 4 more runs in the 5th inning, to defeat the Cats, 8-4. The Wildcats never gave in, scoring 1 run in the 3rd, 1 in the 4th inning, and then adding 2 more in the 6th. Lee Johnson led all Cats at the plate with 2 hits. Landon Walker got the start on the mound for the Cats, and pitched 5 innings.
The RHHS Wildcats (16-9, 8-4 region) will take on region opponent, the Colquitt County Packers (11-12, 8-4 region), Tuesday, April 8, 5:30, at Wildcat Field. Both teams meet again Friday on the 11th, 4:30 p.m., in Moultrie, Ga., for a doubleheader, which ends the region schedule. This best 2 out of 3 series should decide 2nd and 3rd place in GHSA Region #1, 6A. Second place will host the 1st round of the GHSA State Playoffs, with 3rd place having to travel for the 1st round.
Allen Cox is a contributor for the Bryan County News.
