“We hit the ball well. We had good pitching,” Eubanks said. “We hit the ball with runners in scoring position, and we had several two-out hits. We put together a good ballgame.”
Of his milestone victory, Eubanks said, “It’s nice. We’ve had several good kids come through here, several assistant coaches that have helped … and hopefully we can get 101 on Wednesday.”
The first six batters got on base for Cass in the bottom of the third, including Connor Law. Law’s two-run double began the scoring for the Colonels, who added to a 2-0 lead with run-scoring singles from Dalton Parham and Dylan Williams and a two-run hit from Chaz Wilson. Wilson scored the seventh and final run of the inning when Chris Morton — who led the inning off with a walk — doubled to left.
Using a familiar recipe, Cass began its half of the fourth by putting four straight runners on the base paths. Law doubled, Tyler Gates drew a walk and Parham singled to load the bases.
A sacrifice fly from Williams was mishandled by a Grizzly outfielder, allowing not only a run but another base runner. The Colonels scored their ninth run on a grounder and two more players came home on wild pitches, giving Cass an 11-0 lead.
Ryan Zentko’s three-run homer in the top of the fifth got Creekview within eight, but the Colonels ended the game a half inning later when Parham’s two-run single scored Morton and Sam Ayers for a 10-run margin and mercy-rule victory.
Hitters for Cass were Ayers, 1 for 4; Law, 2 for 3, walk, two RBIs; Parham, 4 for 4, three RBIs; Williams, 1 for 3, RBI; Cameron Ray, 1 for 3; Wilson, 1 for 3, two RBIs; and Morton, 1 for 1, two walks, RBI.
Williams picked up the win on the mound, going five innings with three earned runs on three hits, three walks and three hit batters. The junior pitcher struck out seven batters.
Monday’s game began the second foray through Region 7-AAAA for the Colonels (9-7, 4-6), who didn’t like how their first 10 region games went.
“[Our] first time through the region, we were 4-6, which is not what we wanted,” said Eubanks, whose team sits in eighth place after the win. “[There are a] jumble of teams running from three to seven. … We can’t jump anybody till we beat the people in front of us.”
Cass visits South Forsyth Wednesday for a 5:55 p.m. game. In the teams’ first meeting of the season, the Colonels suffered a 7-1 defeat.
Canes rebound with
11-3 win over Ridgeland
With an unexpected loss to stew over from the weekend, the Cartersville baseball team didn’t figure to be the ideal opponent for host Ridgeland Monday. The Purple Hurricanes took their frustration out on the Panthers with an 11-3 victory.
Cartersville led by one run following the second inning and then pushed eight more runs across the plate in the fifth to blow the game wide open.
Ridgeland finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth with two runs, but the Canes stretched the lead back to a nine-run deficit with a pair of runs in the sixth. The Panthers added their final run in the bottom half of the sixth to provide the final margin.
Beau Benefield led Cartersville in hits with three, coming up one hit short of the cycle. Benefield, who had two RBIs, had a home run as well as a double, but was missing the triple. Jojo Underwood’s four RBIs paced the team as he recorded a double and a sacrifice fly. Other Canes hitters were Tripp Jamieson (double, RBI), Zach Ross, Austin Adams and Asa Williams (RBI). Jamieson and Adams had a pair of hits on the night.
Michael Goss and Brandon Wells also had RBIs for Cartersville.
Connor Justus pitched four innings with six strikeouts for the Canes while Tyler Will and Kendall Hawkins also took to the mound for the visitors. Will had three strikeouts.
Cartersville improved to 11-3 overall, 8-2 in Region 7-AAA. After getting back in the win column, the Canes, coming off a surprising loss to Pickens last Friday, will look to keep things rolling right along as they close spring break week with home games against Dalton and Southeast Whitfield on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
South Forsyth 3, Wildcats 0
The Woodland Wildcats got the performance off the mound they needed Monday in a Region 7-AAAA baseball game at South Forsyth, but the visitors made a couple of mistakes that allowed the War Eagles to win a 3-0 shutout.
South Forsyth scored one run in the second inning and two more in the fifth, with two Woodland errors coming in those innings.
Wildcat pitcher Dalton Martin gave up just one earned run, with four strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
“Both pitchers threw very well,” Woodland coach Corey Gochee said, also referencing South Forsyth’s Micah Dunn, whom he called a “very good left-handed pitcher.”
“[Martin] did exactly what we wanted him to do,” Gochee continued. “He ate innings.”
The difference, he noted, was in the War Eagles’ ability to make his team pay for its mistakes.
“When they made mistakes, we didn’t capitalize. We made a couple of base-running mistakes that cost us some opportunities,” Gochee said.
Robert Harris and Mason Robinson finished 1 for 2 for the Wildcats, and Tyler Stringer, Luke Patterson and Brack Bagwell each went 1 for 3.
Following a 12-4 win over Chattahoochee last Friday to snap a three-game losing streak, Woodland was hoping to regain some of its early-season momentum. It didn’t happen, but its coach is glad to have another opportunity to play again Wednesday.
“The thing with baseball is you gotta put it behind you and get ready for the next game,” Gochee said. “We turn around and play [Johns Creek].”
The Gladiators sit atop the region and though Woodland hasn’t “put a complete one together in a few games,” Gochee is hopeful his team can do just that in their 5:55 p.m. matchup. The Wildcats (8-8, 5-6), who will host Wednesday’s game, scored nine runs in one inning against Johns Creek on March 9 before losing 14-9.