Colts bounce back for 10-1 win behind Collins
VARNELL, Ga. — The Coahulla Creek baseball team had to have a short memory Friday night after a heartbreaking loss less than 24 hours before.
The Colts rebounded behind senior Trent Collins’ three-hit pitching to beat visiting North Murray 10-1 in an important Region 6-AAA matchup.
“I told them last night after the game (a last-at-bat loss to Ringgold) that I know it hurts,” Coahulla Creek coach Michael Bolen said. “But when I laid my head on my pillow at night, I know without a doubt that they’re going to be able to bounce back and respond because they’ve done it before in the past.”
Fortune seemed to be on the Colts’ side from the beginning Friday.
With runners on the corners after errors on the first two batters in the top of the first, Collins picked the runner off at first for the first out. The Mountaineers’ Jaden Baggett then hit a screaming line drive right at third baseman Donovan Sims, who caught it and stepped on the base for the double play.
Collins (7-0) worked out of trouble all night, as Coahulla Creek (18-8, 12-3) committed five errors.
“Today we wanted to bounce back and make a statement,” Collins said. “I got here a little early to mentally prepare for the game. We just wanted to pull out the win and make up for last night.”
The Colts got on the board first with a run in the first inning on a single by Tanner Cronan. They added another in the fourth, but North Murray pitcher Waylyn James allowed only three hits in the first four innings.
Coahulla Creek’s bats finally broke through in the fifth inning, when the Colts scored three runs on singles by Hayden Lock and Joseph Schwartz to extend the lead to 5-0.
North Murray (16-7, 11-4) threatened in the sixth inning, loading the bases with just one out. Collins yet again worked out of the jam, ending the rally with only one run scoring.
“(Collins) is a senior, he lives for that kind of a moment,” Bolen said. “He wanted the ball. With the way that it went last night, there is no one that I’d rather give the ball to.”
“We made a couple of baserunning and defensive mistakes, walked too many guys,” North Murray coach Preston Poag said. “When you walk guys and give extra outs with errors, it makes it tough.”
The win gives Coahulla Creek sole possession of second place with just one week to play, as the Colts hope to host a first-round playoff game. They are ahead of North Murray by one game but swept the season series, giving them the tiebreaker.
Contact Kevin Llewallyn at sports@timesfreepress.com.