In this Feb. 17 file photo, Tyler Gates, center, celebrates with his Cass teammates after hitting the first of two home runs in a scrimmage win over Darlington. Gates went deep again Monday, but the Colonels lost, 6-1, at Woodstock. CHIKE NWAKAMMA/The Daily Tribune News, File
Tyler Gates put the Colonels ahead in the first inning when he placed Wolverine pitcher Troy Kizer's offering over the center field wall.
Woodstock, however, tied it up at 1-all in the bottom half of the first and pushed runs across in the second (two runs), third (one) and fourth (two) to grab control of the game.
"We struck out eight times. You can't do that and win a ball game," Cass coach Todd Eubanks said. "Four of those eight [strikeouts] were looking. You got no chance to get on base if you don't swing the bat."
Kizer went five innings to pick up the win, striking out four batters and giving up one earned run on four hits. Other pitchers for the Wolverines included Carter Sangrey (one inning, three strikeouts, one walk) and Andrew Howard (one inning, one strikeout, one walk).
Miles Terrell got branded with the loss for Cass, yielding three runs (one earned) with one strikeout, two hits and two walks in two innings. Blake Kirk also gave up three runs (all earned) with one strikeout, four hits and two walks in his 1 2/3 innings. Gates pitched one inning and struck out one, and Brandon Etheridge pitched 1 1/3 striking out two and giving up one hit and one walk.
Gates went 2-for-3, adding a single, and Dalton Parham and Dalton Weightman, who had a double, both finished 1-for-3 for the Colonels.
Collecting hits for Woodstock were Cole Watson (1-for-4), Jacob Bruce (1-for-4, triple), Bennett Townsend (1-for-1, RBI, two walks), Ridge Hillhouse (1-for-2, RBI, one walk), David Mason (1-for-2, RBI, one walk), Paul Solarzane (1-for-3, double) and Chris Gouder (1-for-3, RBI).
Cass (2-2) will remain on the road for its Region 7-AAAA opener Friday as the Colonels face former Class AAAAA team South Forsyth.
"So far we've played on the road and haven't played very good ," Eubanks said of Cass' two losses, which includes an 11-4 defeat at Adairsville. "We've gotta figure out a way to focus on our bus ride."
The Colonels' game with the War Eagles starts at 5:55 p.m.