Woodland sweeps Cass to lock up a home, state playoff series
April 18, 2024
The Woodland Wildcats locked up second place in Region 7-5A and a state playoff first-round series at home by completing a series sweep of Cass on Thursday night.
Woodland, who won the three-game series opener this past Monday, took both games of a doubleheader Thursday night 5-3 and 12-0.
The Wildcats scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning in Thursday’s first game for a come-from-behind win. Woodland trailed 3-1 through 5-½ innings but rallied to take the lead on two walks, a pair of doubles, and a sacrifice fly.
Zach Lambert (3.2 IP, 2R, 0ER, 2H, 2BB, 2K) picked up the pitching victory in Game 1 in relief of starter Ayden Ray (3.1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 3H, 1BB, 4K).
In Game 2, Woodland scored seven runs in the first two innings and was not challenged. Wildcats’ pitcher Austin Daves (4.1 IP, 0R, 1H, 3BB, 3K) carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning and combined with J.D. Trail (0.2 IP) to blank the Colonels in five innings.
Connor Stermer led the Woodland offense in the doubleheader with five hits including one double and one RBI. Logan Bentley followed with three hits including one double and two RBIs. Mason Williams (home run, double, sac fly, four RBIs), Jake Clowers (RBI), Ray (double, RBI), Joshua Hicks (two RBIs), and Brett Good (double, four RBIs) contributed two hits in the two games. Cam Williams (sac fly) and Conner Lujan added one RBI.
Nic Wright had two hits for Cass in the doubleheader. Jesiel Moctezuma (sac fly, RBI), Israel Contreras, Landon Lamb, and Devan Hutchinson had one hit.
Hutchinson (0.0 IP, 3ER, 1H, 2BB) suffered the pitching loss in the first game in relief of starter Trenton Payne (5 IP, 2ER, 6H, 2BB, 4K). Justin Peace (1 IP) retired the final three outs in the opener. Cayden Roberts (2 IP, 7ER, 6H, 2BB, 1K) was the pitcher of record in Game 2 for the Colonels. Jacob Johnson (1 IP, 5ER, 4H, 2BB, 1K) and Chase Tatum (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 3BB, 1K) also pitched in the second game.
Woodland (15-13, 6-6) has a non-region game at Pepperell on Saturday and will host the Cambridge Bears, the No. 3 seed from Region 6-5A, in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs. The best-of-three playoff series will begin with a doubleheader on Tuesday.
Cass (13-16, 4-8) finished in a three-way tie for third place in the Region 7-5A standings with Calhoun and Dalton.
The Colonels will advance as the No. 3 seed by winning the three-way tiebreaker. In head-to-head games among the three tied teams, Cass was 4-2, Dalton was 3-3, and Calhoun was 2-4.
As a result, Dalton will be the No. 4 seed from Region 7-5A and begin the playoffs in a series with Region 6-AAA champ and 2nd-ranked Greater Atlanta Christian.
Cass will open the state playoffs in a best-of-three series starting Tuesday at 10th-ranked Kell.
BREMEN 4, ADAIRSVILLE 0
The Adairsville Tigers managed just two hits Thursday afternoon in a 4-0 home loss to the Bremen Blue Devils.
Bremen scored two runs in the top of the first and single runs in the third and seventh innings.
A pair of Blue Devils’ pitchers — Slade Bishop and Aiden Price — combined for eleven strikeouts.
PJ Weeks and Jarrett Scott had the Tigers’ base hits.
Adairsville utilized four pitchers including Dawson Craig (0.2 IP, 2ER, 2H, 2BB), Jack Nelson (4 IP, 1R, 0ER, 4H, 4BB, 3K), Ryan Farr (1.1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 1H, 1BB, 2K), and Hudson Parr (1 IP, 0R, 0H).
Bremen, ranked No. 7 in Class AAA, improved to 19-8 overall and 11-3 in Region 6-AAA. The Blue Devils finished in a tie for second place in the region standings with Gordon Lee.
Adairsville (15-9, 8-6) will enter the Class AAA state playoffs next week on the road at the 2nd-ranked Pickens Dragons. Pickens won Region 7-AAA.
EXCEL CHRISTIAN 9, OAKWOOD CHRISTIAN 4
The Excel Christian Eagles trailed 2-0 after 2-½ innings Thursday afternoon before posting nine runs in innings three through five to beat visiting Oakwood Christian, 9-4.
Gavin Dyson reached base in all four plate appearances with three hits including a homer, a walk, and three RBIs to lead the Excel offense. Cameron Adams followed with two hits including a double and one RBI.
Kamarion Profit (RBI), David Jinks, Jacob Jinks, Easton Hamilton, and Jayden Jinks added one hit.
David Jinks went six innings on the mound to record the pitching win for ECA. He allowed four earned runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out four. Adams walked one and struck out two while closing out the seventh inning on the bump.
The loss dropped Oakwood Christian to 7-4 on the season.
Excel improved to 6-7 and will learn their possible post-season fate on Monday.
