Prep Baseball Round-Up: Deerfield-Windsor falls, Worth County sweeps, Lee County splits

ALBANY — The Deerfield-Windsor Knights jumped on Southland Academy with two first-inning runs and led until the Raiders tied the game in the sixth and then won with a seventh-inning sacrifice fly to beat the Knights 3-2.

“This was a tough one,” said Deerfield-Windsor head coach Kyle Keen. “We pitched and played defense well enough to win but we just could not get anything going offensively after scoring those two runs in the first.”

With two outs in the bottom of the first, Davis Coleman and Grayson Spears followed with a single to center. Lane Sceals smacked a ground ball to short that couldn’t be handled and he reached safely at first while Coleman and Spears scored to put the Knights up 2-0. Another error and a single from Gabe Daniel loaded the bases for the Knights with two outs but all three were left stranded.

That’s where the score remained until there was one out in the top of the sixth when Southland’s Will Godwin blasted a home run over the deepest part of centerfield for the Raider’s first run. Southland pitcher Perry Usher followed with a walk and one out later scored on a single from Scout Luvin on a ball that snuck through the hole between short and third as Deerfield-Windsor shortstop Grayson Spears dove for the ball. That hit tied the game 2-2.

in the seventh, Henry Johnson smacked a line drive to left field and went to third on a single from Chase Ledger. Johnson scored on a sacrifice fly to left for the winning run.

Thomas Ray pitched a complete game for the Knights on the mound. He gave up seven hits and three earned runs. He walked three and struck out two.

Perry Usher took the win on the mound for the Raiders. He pitched seven innings and allowed six hits and two unearned runs. He walked one and struck out six.

The Knights (6-13) will be at home again Tuesday night for another region battle against Tiftarea. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Worth County Sweeps Dodge County

EASTMAN — The Worth County Rams (16-7) swept two games in a doubleheader Thursday afternoon that puts the Rams in second place in Region 1-AA with No. 3-ranked and region leader Jeff Davis coming to Sylvester next Friday for a doubleheader that will end region play.

Worth County won game one 11-0 behind a no-hitter thrown by freshman Avery Kilcrease. Kilcrease pitched five innings and gave up two walks and struck out four.

Kilcrease also belted a fourth-inning double that scored two runs.

The Rams only picked up four hits against the Indians but took advantage of nine walks and two batters hit by a pitch. Coy Etheredge smacked a double and a single with two RBI. Owen Fletcher also had a hit and scored two runs.

The Rams won game two 5-4 when Parker Weaver belted a seventh-inning double that scored Kilcrease who had reached on a double. Christian McDonald tried to score from first on the same play but was thrown out at the plate.

The Indians jumped on Worth County’s Drake Jones with four runs in the third inning to take a 4-0 lead.

Jones started the comeback in the sixth inning with a double to left. Clint Bragg came in to pinch run for Jones and after Weaver walked, Bragg scored when Chip Cooper belted a double to left. Etheredge then hit into a fielder’s choice at third that scored Weaver and Cooper.

Jones took the win on the mound by pitching six innings, giving up four earned runs and eight hits. He walked one and struck out four. Jones started the seventh but was relieved by Owen Fletcher after the first batter. He allowed no hits or runs.

Lee County Wins First Game, Drops Second

EMERSON, Ga. — The Lee County Trojans belted five doubles Thursday afternoon against North Paulding to win their first game at LakePoint Sporting Community 7-4 but then fell 10-1 to Etowah from Woodstock in game two.

Carter Singletary smacked two doubles while Brayden Proctor, Ethan Powell, and Durrah Butler each hit one double for the Trojans. Powell and Butler led with two RBI each.

Billy Myler got the win on the mound for the Trojans. He pitched three innings, giving up only one hit and one run. He walked one and struck out one. Caden King, Mason Ray, and Connor Hall worked in relief.

In the Etowah game, the Trojans managed just three hits. Lee County’s only run came in the fifth inning when Proctor walked, moved to second on a pick-off play that went awry, and then scored on a single to third from Brent Smith.

Etowah smacked 10 hits but didn’t get the knock-out punch until the seventh when things fell apart for the Trojans. Etowah scored six runs in the seventh with two hits, two walks, a hit batsman, and two errors. One of those errors came with the bases loaded and all three runners scored.

Greyson Holley started the game on the mound for the Trojans and took the loss. He pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on six hits, and three walks. He struck out one. Singletary, Tyler Loewe, and Powell all worked in relief.

The Trojans (19-6) will host No. 2-ranked Houston County (20-4) Tuesday at Lee County High School. First pitch is 5:30 p.m.

Joe WhitfieldJoeWhitfield[email protected]