The Perry Panthers made the long trip down to Jesup, GA to take on the Wayne Co Yellow Jackets in the Sweet Sixteen of the AAAA Playoffs which resulted in a Panthers victory in the first game. Perry jumped on Wayne Co quickly in the top half of the first by plating two runs via a Colter Ginn single that ran in Nate O’Rear and Brady Bearden scored on an error.
Perry plated three runs in the top half of the third that were scored via a Brady Bearden single that ran in Nate Walker and a Connor Griffin double that ran in Colter Ginn and Kam Vandersee to give the Panthers a 5-0 lead heading into the last of the third. The Yellow Jackets plated two runs in the last of the third via a passed ball and a Hadley Long single that ran in Aden Hall via an error by Perry to cut the gap down to three.
Wayne Co cut the gap down to two in the last of the fifth via a passed ball and would draw to within one run via a Panther balk in the last of the seventh but were unable to tie the game up as Perry finished the drill and took Game 1 5-4 to lead the series 1-0.
Connor Griffin led the Panthers in rbis with two followed by Brady Bearden and Colter Ginn with one each while Hadley long had the Yellow Jackets’ lone rbi of the game.
Perry SP Cooper Edwards surrendered four runs (one earned) on five hits, walking five, and striking out 10 in six innings of work. Ben McDow came in to relieve Edwards in the seventh and he allowed no runs on no hits, walking one and striking out two in one inning of relief work.
Wayne Co’s pitchers combined to allow five runs (four earned) on eight hits, walking four, and striking out seven.
The Panthers committed four errors while the Yellow Jackets committed three errors. Game two did not take place yesterday due to the threat of weather coming in so the second game will take place tomorrow in Jesup at 4pm and if Perry wins… they will advance to the Elite Eight and if Wayne Co wins… Game Three will follow roughly 30 minutes following game two.
