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Bears, Warhawks and Panthers earn big series wins

It took a little work in the first game, but the second was all-Houston County, Friday in a doubleheader at Lee County.

Maybe the first was even a foregone conclusion, but at any rate, the Bears did have to mount a late rally to secure it, 6-4. The second left no question. They jumped out an early lead and never looked back, winning it 13-1.

All told it gave them a sweep of the three-game series – they won 6-4 on Tuesday. They improved to 20-4 overall, and at 6-0 in the region, sealed the deal as its best (even with a three-game series left to play against Northside next week).

Two runs in the fourth and two in the fifth gave the Trojans the lead in Game 1. That countered two for Houston County in the second and one in the fourth. The win was set up in the sixth. Garrett Hortman walked. He was replaced by pinch runner Christian Wahiwe. Eli Stephens’ sacrifice bunt got him to second. He was held on Hunter Chiappetta’s groundout, but Elijah Smith’s single to left brought him home. Kaden Galason doubled to reach second and put Smith on third where Blaydn Alaniz’s single brought them home.

Andrew Dunford worked around a one-out walk and error in the bottom half of the inning, and then he got them one-two-three for the win the seventh. He was one of four Bears’ pitchers, with Carson Small working the majority of the innings, four. He gave up five hits, two runs, walked two and struck out five.

Smith led the offense with a 2-3 day. He drove in four and scored twice.

The second game was a bit of an offensive display by Burress. He was 2-3, one of those a homerun. He drove in a whopping six and scored twice.

The Bears scored two in the first, five in the fifth and six in the third for all of their runs – the game lasted on five innings.

Brooks Willis held Lee County to just two hits in three and a third innings of work. He walked one and struck out two.

 

Elsewhere, after suffering a tough Region 1-AAAAA loss to Warner Robins on Tuesday, Veterans stormed back to sweep a twin-bill from the Demons on Friday at home.

It won the first 5-1 and the second 10-2.

The wins enabled the Warhawks to secure the fourth seed, as they improved to 4-8 in the division, 14-14 overall. Warner Robins fell to 4-5, 8-9.

Veterans scored three runs in the first inning of the first game to take a 3-0 lead. It stayed that way until the fourth when both pushed one across. The Warhawks added one more for insurance in the bottom of the sixth.

Jamey McDaniel and Jarret Pierce each had two hits to lead the offense. The first was 2-3 with a walk. He drove in two and scored once. The second was also 2-3 with an RBI and run scored.

Cody Daugherty earned the complete-game win. He didn’t walk a hitter and struck out seven.

Game 2 was close until the fifth. In fact, it was tied at that point – Veterans with two runs in the second, Warner Robins with one in the second and one in the fourth. The Warhawks scored three that inning and then five more in the sixth while out-hitting the Demons 11-7.

McDaniel again had two. He was 2-4 with two RBIs and two scored. Hunter Dryden was also 2-3 and scored twice.

 

Finally, Perry beat Rutland – shut out – Rutland for the third time in three days. The Panthers beat them 18-0 on Monday, 17-0 on Tuesday and then 9-0 on Friday.

A five-run first set the stage. Perry scored two more in the fourth and sixth, but with Alex Scarborough on the mound, they really weren’t needed. He limited the ‘Canes to just three hits in his five innings of work. He walked one and struck out four. Lane Smith and Cooper Edwards each worked an inning – each giving up a walk and striking out two – to finish things off.

Perry improved to 14-1 in 4-AAAA with the wins, 19-9 overall. Critical to its quest to be the best in the region is a three-game series against Howard (12-3, 15-11) next week.

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