Druid Hills, like so many before it, had no answer for Perry.
The Panthers won the first game of their best two-out-of-three Class AAAA Sweet 16 series, 12-2 in five innings. It won the second – never threatened – 9-5.
The boys improved to 25-9 and moved on the Elite Eight where they’ll take on Cedartown. The Bulldogs are 24-9. They, the No. 1 seed out of Region 7, swept Cairo, 9-0, 11-1. The game is slated for May 9. Perry, via the “H” on the bracket, will get to host.
Against Druid Hills, Perry put up 12 hits in Game 1. It scored one in the first, five in the third and fourth and one in the fifth. The Red Devils only managed one in the fourth and one in the fifth.
Brayden Long helped lead the Panthers on offense. He was 3-3 and scored four times. Tyler Newhouse was 2-4. He also drove in four while scoring twice. Lane Smith was 2-2 with a walk. One of his was a triple. One was a homerun, as he brought in three.
Carson Bryant worked all five innings. He scattered seven hits, walked one and struck out seven.
The nightcap sounds a little closer, but all five of Druid Hills’ runs came in the seventh. And against relief pitching. Ben McDow worked the first six innings. He only gave up two hits, walked three and struck out nine.
Bryant was 2-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Dylan Butler was 2-3 with two walks. He also drove in one and Alex Scarborough was 2-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Elsewhere, Veterans’ remarkable run came to an end. It fell to Decatur in two games. The Bulldogs won the first 8-4 – a four-run fifth broke a four-all tie. They jumped out 3-0 after one, 4-0 after two and win the second 7-3.
The Warhawks finished 17-17.
