The HoCo Bears played a doubleheader up at the LakePoint Tournament earlier today and the first opponent up was the Etowah Eagles who is ranked #1 in Georgia and ranked top 5 nationally. The Bears were the designated visitors and got the scoring started when Isaiah Galason hit a ground ball and reached on an error and advanced to second while Kendall Jackson and Vick Gann both score to make the score 2-0 HoCo.
Later in the first, Isaiah Galason would score to push the Black, Silver, and White lead to 3-0. In the last of the first, the Eagles would get on the board in the last of the first to make the score 3-1 HoCo and that would be the score through four innings of play. The Bears would extend it’s lead in the top of the fifth when Logan Elble hit an rbi single to drive in Vick Gann to make the score 4-1 HoCo.
The Black, Silver, and White would plate it’s fifth run when Etowah’s relief pitcher balked which scored Isaiah Galason and that would ultimately be the final score of the contest.. 5-1 Bears. Isaiah Galason led HoCo in rbis with two followed by Logan Elble with one. SP Max Willhide threw a gem as he pitched a complete game and surrendered one earned run on two hits, walking one, and striking out seven while throwing 90 pitches.
Etowah committed five errors in the contest and took only their second loss of the season. The Black, Silver, and White had no time to celebrate as they quickly turned around and got ready to play the East Coweta Indians. HoCo would lead 2-1 going into the top of the third where Isaiah Galason hit a lead-off solo jack to make the score 3-1 in favor of the designated visitors.
In the last of the fourth and with two outs on the board, the Black, Silver, and White would plate three runs that were scored via a Vick Gann rbi triple, an Isaiah Galason rbi single, and a Logan Elble rbi single to give HoCo a 6-1 lead going into the bottom of the fourth.
The last of the fourth would be a disaster for the Bears’ defense as they would commit three fielding errors which would contribute to the Indians plating five unearned runs to tie the game at 6 going into the top of the fifth. The Black, Silver, and White would go back to work on offense in inning five and Kendall Jackson would hit a go-ahead rbi single to drive in Tyson Ganas to make the score 7-6 in favor of the designated visitors.
In the last of the sixth, East Coweta would hit a lead-off double and would reach third on a Weston Ard balk but Ard would quickly settle in and get three outs and strand the runner at third to keep HoCo out front. In the top half of inning seven, the Bears would plate two more runs via a Vick Gann rbi single and an Ethan Buffone sacrifice fly to make the score 9-6 HoCo.
The Black, Silver, and White would shut down the Indians in the last of the seventh to win 9-6 which would be the Bears’ 20th win of 2025. Kendall Jackson, Vick Gann, and Isaiah Galason each led the Bears in rbis with two a piece followed by Logan Elble and Ethan Buffone with one a piece.
HoCo’s four pitchers.. SP Tucker Hale and relievers’ Ethan Kenney, Weston Ard, and Ethan Buffone combined to allow six runs (one earned) on four hits, walking three, and striking out six. The Bears finish LakePoint at 2-1 and are currently 20-5 overall and will return to region play at Lee Co next Tuesday Evening. HoCo and Lee Co are both 11-1 in region play and this will be the region championship series.
