Tues., April 8: We are not sure if the 2-hour nap on the bus ride from Moultrie was the difference, but the Colquitt County Packers baseball team, came to Richmond Hill ready to play. In arguably the biggest region series of the season, Colquitt County busted 16 hits and scored 16 runs, and took advantage of 5 Wildcat errors, to beat the Cats, 16-8, in Game #1 of the 3-game series. Every player in the Packer batting order had at least 1 hit, and Richmond Hill scratched across 8 runs, on 11 hits. Eli Howard led the Cats with 3 hits. Lee Johnson, Aiden Pluff, and Connor Gilkey, each had 2 hits apiece for the home team.
Friday, April 11th: The Wildcats took the 4-hour, 200-mile drive down to Moultrie, Ga., and split a doubleheader with region opponent, the Colquitt County Packers. The ‘Cats took game one by a score of 4-1, and lost the nightcap, 3-0.
Aiden Pluff got the start in Game One and pitched 6 strong innings, striking out 4, and allowing only 1 earned run, and got the win. Eli Howard closed it out on the mound.
Second-baseman, Tony Berry, led all Cats at the plate, with 3 hits, and scored a run. Noah Stone and Eli Howard each had 2 hits for the Wildcats. The Wildcat defense was on point tonight, committing just one error in each game. It seems the Cats are a serious threat to any ballclub they face when the pitching is on and the defense is solid.
In Game Two, Landon Walker got the start on the bump and pitched a good game. He pitched a complete 6-inning ballgame, allowing just 5 hits, striking out 5 Packers, and only allowing 2 earned runs. Tony Berry, Aiden Pluff, and Connor Gilkey were the only 3 Wildcats that got a hit. The Packers starting left-handed pitcher seemed to have, Tom Glavine-like stuff, that kept the Cats off balance at the plate all night.
The Wildcats (17-11, 9-6 region 1, 6A) are back in action Wednesday, April 16, at home, 7 p.m., against state powerhouse, Houston County. The Wildcats begin their playoff run Wednesday, April 23, on the road, when round one of the GHSA State Playoffs begin. The opponent for round one will be the GHSA Region 5 first-place team. GHSA Region 5 currently has Etowah HS ranked #1, North Paulding HS ranked #2, and Walton HS ranked #4, according to MaxPreps. Etowah (23-2, 15-1 region 5, 6A) beat Lowndes (18-10, 13-2 region 1, 6A), earlier in the year, 9-3, lost to North Paulding (21-6, 10-5 region), 8-4, and lost to Houston County (23-5, 14-1 region 2, 5A), 5-1.
Allen Cox is a contributor to the Bryan County News.
