Sports

Cavs, Stallions face off in region tilt

• Darton College’s baseball team hosts Abraham Baldwin in a best-of-three region play-in tourney series, which begins tonight in Albany.

Scott Chancey

ALBANY — Darton College baseball coach Glenn Eames’ team is an enigma of late.

As the Cavaliers prepare to host this weekend’s NJCAA Region XVII tournament play-in series against Abraham Baldwin, Eames finds more questions than comfort:

• Can his team, which went 17-3 in March, reclaim its momentum after losing 2-of-3 in each of its final three regular-season region series?
• Can his team, although it saved starters during this week’s 0-3 downslide against non-region teams Chattahoochee Valley and Southern Union, reclaim its offensive stride after being outscored, 20-7, during those games?
• And how will the Cavaliers fare without pitcher and Georgia Southern signee Dexter Bobo, whom Eames told The Herald on Friday is suspended this weekend for unspecified reasons?

“I wish I could answer that,” Eames laughed when referring to the weekend series which has a 6 p.m. game today, and one at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, if necessary.

The Cavaliers, nonetheless, are 16-12 in the region (25-27 overall) and are the fourth seed and ABAC (27-24, 13-15) is fifth. After Darton lost its final three region series against Gordon, fifth-ranked Young Harris and Middle Georgia, it did win its final region game against ABAC, 10-9, on April 22.

After being swept by Young Harris in the play-in round last year, and despite this week’s results, Darton’s players feel they can reclaim their form from March.

“It’ s a great feeling,” said Darton’s No. 3 hitter Trent Dooley, who is tied for the region’s best batting average at .387. “We have the potential to go far. It’s all about how bad we want it now.”

Dooley is part of a middle lineup that Eames feels must produce if Darton wants to advance to the actual double-elimination region tournament beginning May 8 at South Georgia College. Cleanup hitter Adam Duncan, according to Eames, hits .340 and has eight home runs, leading the team in RBI. And Jake Summers, who batted .338 as of April 14, bats fifth.

“If they don’t have a good series, we might be talking about next year next week,” Eames said.

Taylor Whitenton is Darton’s Game 1 starter on the mound, and Aaron West is expected to start Saturday. Whitenton’s versatility has been just as important as his pitching performance.

“In a best 2-out-of-3 series, you almost need to win that first game,” Eames said. “It’s huge, and Taylor is a big-time player. He came from a winning program (Heritage High School in Conyers), and he likes to have the ball when all the cards are on the table.”

Lately, however, Duncan said Darton has not produced as often lately with runners in scoring position.

“Good teams get key hits, and we’ve been struggling to do it,” he said. And unlike last year when Darton lost its play-in series against Young Harris on the road, Whitenton feels the team can benefit from the fans’ energy.

“It’s really exciting to get the homefield advantage,” Whitenton said. “You can’t ask for anything more than that.”

Back to today's Sports>>