The latest chapter of the Highway 96 baseball rivalry between the Houston County Bears and the Veterans Warhawks concluded Friday night at the Warhawks’ home field, delivering a dramatic three-game region series.
Game 1: Warhawks Rally to Snap Streak
Game one was a tightly contested battle early on. Houston County built a 2–0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth, but a rare defensive lapse changed the momentum. The Bears committed three errors in the inning, allowing Veterans to capitalize and score four runs to flip the game to a 4–2 Warhawks lead.
Houston County managed to push across one run in the sixth to cut the deficit to 4–3, but the comeback fell just short as Veterans held on for the win.
The victory was significant for the Warhawks. It marked the first time an in-county opponent had defeated Houston County since 2019, snapping the Bears’ 45 game winning streak against county rivals.
Game 2: Bears Respond in Dominant Fashion
Houston County quickly bounced back in the second game of the doubleheader.
After the teams were tied 1–1 early, a dropped routine infield pop-up allowed the Bears to take advantage, scoring two runs to move ahead 3–1. Houston County steadily built on the lead and eventually stretched it to 7–2.
Veterans showed life when Jackson Eaton launched a two-run home run to deep left field, trimming the deficit to 7–4. However, that would be as close as the Warhawks would get.
In the top of the seventh, Houston County broke the game open with a six-run inning, aided by several Veterans errors. The offensive explosion sealed a 13–4 victory for the Bears.
Series Result
With the win, Houston County claimed the region series two games to one and once again earned the title of county champions, though their perfect county record ended with the earlier loss.
The Bears now sit at 12–3 overall and 5–1 in region play. The Warhawks now sit at 6-8 overall and 1-5 in region play.
Looking Ahead
Houston County’s next challenge will be a crucial region matchup against the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets, who also hold a 5–1 region record.
Game one of that series is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 in Thomasville, Georgia, where cold temperatures are expected for what could be a key early showdown in the region standings. Veterans will travel to take on Lee Co on Tuesday in what will be a crucial region series for the Warhawks.
