The HoCo Bears hosted the Tift Co Blue Devils in a mammoth region doubleheader and the result was a split with Tift Co shutting out the host to win 1-0 followed by the Bears shutting out the visitors to win Game Two 8-0 and most importantly, win the region series. The first game featured minimal offense and tons of excellent pitching by the Blue Devils’ SP John Davis and Bears’ SP Will Allen.
In the top of the second, Tyler VanSumeren was the difference maker on offense for Tift as he hit an rbi double to plate the game’s lone run of the contest. Tift Co’s SP John Davis was electric on the mound as he pitched a complete game surrendering no runs on two hits, walking one, and striking out 10 in the process.
HoCo’s SP Will Allen was nearly just as electric as he surrendered his first run since February on two hits, walking one, and striking out eight in five innings of work.
Game Two would be a complete 180 as the Black, Silver, and White would pounce on the Blue Devils early in the last of the first and it started with Eli Stephens hitting an rbi double to drive in Vick Gann to make the score 1-0 HoCo and Ethan Buffone would hit an rbi single to drive in Kendall Jackson to make the score 2-0 in favor of the host.
Troy Carpenter would hit another two rbi single in this series to drive in Caleb Adkison and Ethan Buffone to make the score 4-0 in favor of the Bears. Later in the first, Christian Wahiwe took off to try to steal second but got himself in a mess but while Tift was trying to run him down, Troy Carpenter ran for home plate and successfully got the steal to give the Black, Silver, and White a 5-0 lead and Wahiwe was safe at second base.
In the last of the second, Eli Stephens hit an rbi single to drive in Kendall Jackson to make the score 6-0 and in the last of the third, Will Allen hit an rbi single to drive in Isaiah Galason to make it 7-0 and in the last of the fourth, Ethan Buffone would score on a wild pitch to make the score 8-0 HoCo going into the fifth inning and this would ultimately be the final score of the contest.
Bears’ SP Tucker Hale pitched a gem as he surrendered no runs on three hits, walking three, and striking out five in 6 1/3rd innings of work and JT Withers came in and went the last 2/3rds of the seventh and surrendered no runs on no hits, walking one, and striking out one in the process.
Troy Carpenter and Eli Stephens both led the Black, Silver, and White in rbis with two followed by Ethan Buffone and Will Allen with one a piece. The Blue Devils pitchers combined to surrender eight runs (six earned) on nine hits, walking two, and striking out three in the process. The Bears have control of region 1-AAAAAA with their series win over Tift Co.
HoCo currently sits at 17-5 overall 10-2 in region play while the Blue Devils currently sit at 17-3 overall; 10-2 in region play. The math is simple, the Black, Silver, and White will most likely need to sweep Lee Co in two weeks as Tift Co will be heavily favored against Veterans in two weeks.
HoCo first, will get prepared to head to Emerson, GA to play in the LakePoint Tournament and their first opponent will be against the Houston Co Fighting Irish from Erin, TN on Thursday afternoon. Tift will host West Laurens next Tuesday.
