Woodland falls to Pepperell; Cass drops game at Paulding

Pepperell scored a pair of runs in the top of the seventh Wednesday night to break a 5-5 tie at Woodland as the Dragons escaped with a 7-5 non-region win.

Pepperell led 3-0 early but the Wildcats scored three runs in the bottom of the third and added one more in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead.

The Dragons went back on top 5-4 in the fifth but Woodland tied the game with a single run in the bottom of the sixth.

Ryan Ely (6 IP, 5R, 2ER, 6H, 3BB, 2K) started on the mound and picked up the pitching win for Pepperell (4-4).

Woodland utilized a quartet of hurlers. Coby Barrett entered in the fifth inning and was tagged with the pitching loss. Rowan Billings started on the bump for the Wildcats. Ayden Ray (2.1 IP, 2R, 1ER, 0H, 6BB, 5K) and Hunter Shirley (0.1 IP, 0R, 0H) also pitched.

Billings finished with two hits and one RBI for Woodland. Chase Carson also had two hits. Connor Stermer doubled with one RBI. Ray added a hit with two RBIs.

Woodland (4-3) heads to Canton Saturday for games against Forsyth Central at 2 p.m. and Cherokee at 5 p.m.

PAULDING COUNTY 6, CASS 3

With three runs in the bottom of the first and three more in the bottom of the fifth, the Paulding County Patriots held off visiting Cass Wednesday night, 6-3.

The Colonels led 2-0 in the top of the first but did not score again until the sixth when they posted a single run.

Alex Benitez (5 IP, 3R, 1ER, 4BB, 7K) earned the pitching win for Paulding County. Riley Jeffries (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 1K) and Tucker White (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 1K) worked a scoreless inning each for the Patriots.

James Jones had two hits for Paulding (3-6).

Cass starting pitcher Carson Hill (4.1 IP, 6R, 3R, 7H, 2BB, 5K) took the pitching loss. Devan Hutchinson (1.2 IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB, 2K) retired the final five outs on the mound for the Colonels.

Connor Jenkins had two hits for Cass including one double. Cayden Roberts and Hill added one hit apiece.

Cass (3-3) has a rematch with Paulding County Friday at Lakepoint at 5:55 p.m.