Woodland walks past No. 3 Carrollton; Colonels even season mark
The Woodland High School baseball team collected its biggest win of the year Monday night at home with a 5-3 victory over 3rd-ranked and region-leading Carrollton.
It was the first region loss of the year for the visiting Trojans and Carrollton’s inability to throw strikes on this night made the difference.
With the victory, Woodland takes a huge step toward capturing Region 7-AAAAA's final state playoff berth.
Woodland’s Cauy Williams (photo) scattered six hits, did not issue a walk, and punched out three Carrollton batters with his complete-game pitching victory.
Two of Carrollton’s three runs were unearned. Woodland committed three errors.
Woodland led 1-0 with a first inning run, but Carrollton tied the game in the top of the fourth. The Wildcats responded with a four-run bottom of the fourth that would ultimately be enough runs to hold off the Trojans.
To make matters worse for the Trojans, Woodland’s fourth inning damage came without a hit.
Carrollton scored single runs in the fifth and seventh innings and brought the potential tying run to the plate with only one out in the final inning, but Williams got a fly out and a strikeout to shut down the final threat.
Woodland’s fourth inning started innocently enough. After two quick outs, Carrollton starting pitcher Destine Udombon walked three straight Wildcats to load the bases. His reliever Ty Murray entered to walk the only three batters he faced. Then Ryan Anderson entered as the Trojans’ third pitcher of the inning and struck out a batter to end the frame, but not before a wild pitch allowed Woodland to take a 5-1 lead without a hit in the inning.
Joe Skinner and Asa Awbrey had two hits each for the Trojans. Udombon was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs in three and two-thirds innings.
Garrett Cornett, Hunter Reaid, Koby Stansel, Toby Queen, and Williams had one hit each for Woodland.
Carrollton slips to 24-4 on the year and 13-1 in Region 7-AAAAA. The Trojans still hold a three-game edge atop the region standings.
Woodland (16-10, 7-7) has a two-game region series remaining Wednesday and Friday with Hiram. The Wildcats travel to last-place Hiram Wednesday at 5:55pm and will host the Hornets Friday at 5:55pm.
CASS 12, PAULDING COUNTY 4
Tyler Hendonl (left) and Bailey Campbell (right) both doubled, homered, and combined to drive in seven runs Monday evening as the Cass Colonels wrapped up the regular season with a 12-4 home victory over Paulding County.
Jake Collum, who also started on the mound and picked up the pitching win, went 4-for-5 with a double at the plate and drove in a run.
Collum (photo below) scattered a couple of hits, issued no walks, and allowed only one unearned run through four innings. He fanned four Patriots. Austin Pruett entered in the fifth inning to work the final three frames. He allowed three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out three.
The game was scoreless through two and one-half innings, but Cass blew it wide open in the bottom of the third with eight runs.
Hendon hit a three run homer and Bailey smacked a two-run double to highlight the inning. The Colonels had four other hits in the inning and took advantage of two walks and two hit batsmen.
Paulding scored single runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, but Cass also added a run in the fourth, two in the fifth, and another run in the sixth inning for the 12-4 decision.
Six different Patriots had one hit each and Paulding (8-18, 2-12) stole three bases.
Clay Means (RBI), Evan Hinton, and Nathan Smith had the other Cass hits.
The Colonels finished the regular season 15-15 overall and 8-8 in Region 7-AAAAA. They must now await the conclusion of the remainder of the region regular season to determine their possible state playoff fate. One more win by Villa Rica or two wins by Woodland will eliminate the Colonels.
