Generals sweep Bruins in 6-AAAA showdown Eagles open with romp against Howard
Last year, the Heritage Generals dropped two of three games to Northwest Whitfield in a highlycompetitive series that saw all three games decided by one run, including one that needed eight innings to determine a winner.
The highlyanticipated series rematch took place last week and the two Region 6-AAAA heavyweights slugged it out in another threegame set, which also included an extrainning affair.
This time, however, it was the Generals doing all the celebrating.
Heritage rose to the top of the region standings and extended its winning streak to eight games with three wins in another epic series.
Heritage 3, Northwest 1
In the series opener last Tuesday in Tunnel Hill, the No. 4-ranked Generals would touch up Northwest ace Hank Bearden, working in a relief appearance, for three runs in the top of the seventh and rallied for the victory.
Northwest pushed home a run against Heritage starter Cole Wilcox in the bottom of the sixth to break a scoreless tie as Bruins starter Ty Fisher battled Wilcox in the pitchers’ duel. Fisher would throw 5.2 innings in the chilly night air, giving up four hits and five walks with eight strikeouts, but got no decision.
Bearden would get the final out in the top of the sixth, but a throwing error on what could have been a double play opened the door for the Generals in the top of the seventh. Another error later in the inning and a Brody Campbell RBI would allow Heritage to rally for the lead.
Wilcox went the distance, scattering three hits and issuing two walks. He finished with 12 strikeouts in the win. Bearden suffered the loss.
Jonathan Hickman and Lance Dockery each had doubles in the victory, while Dockery and Blake Bryan had two hits apiece.
Heritage 6, Northwest 4
Dockery’s fifth homer of the season came at
The Oakwood Christian Eagles opened their 2018 season on Friday evening with a 15-1, four-inning victory against Howard in Chattanooga.
OCA scored three runs in the top of the first, added seven in the top of the second and five more in the fourth.
JJ Lanham, Phillip Davis and John Jacob McSpadden all had two hits with one of McSpadden’s being a triple. Lanham, McSpadden, Jacob Jones, Joseph Mauk and Jacob Wellwood had two RBIs each, while Davis drove in one run.
D.J. Terry threw two hitless, scoreless innings and picked up the victory, striking out one. Davis threw the final two innings, allowing an earned run on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts.
OCA (1-0) was
Game 1, but gave up two runs in the top of the fourth before Southeast erupted for eight runs in the top of the fifth.
The Ramblers scored three times in the sixth and two times in the seventh, but the rally would fall short.
Deering was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Anniston Mann and Jack Martin each had two hits with Mann picking up an RBI. Pendergrass had a double and knocked in two runs. Buck was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Anderson doubled, while he and Stephenson also had one RBI each.
Davis Richardson took the loss on the hill. He pitched 4.1 innings, allowing five runs - three earned - on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
LaFayette 5, Southeast 2
In Friday’s nightcap, the Raiders scored twice in the top of the first, but LaFayette came right back to tie the score. Buck had a leadoff double and would later score on a Stephenson RBI-double. Stephenson would come home on a fielder’s choice by Martin.
A one-out RBIsingle by Blake Mann in the bottom of the fourth brought home the Ramblers’ third run and they would tack on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on RBIs by Guffey and Anderson.
Stephenson, who replaced Guffey on the mound in the top of the fourth, ended up getting the win. He struck out seven and walked four in 3.2 innings, allowing just one hit. Guffey threw the first 3.1 innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts.
Guffey was also 2-for3, while Pendergrass was 2-for-2.
LaFayette (3-9, 2-1) came into the week in third place in the 6-AAAA standings. They will face Gilmer in a three-game series this week. Game 1 was slated for Tuesday in LaFayette, while the two teams will face off in another twinbill Friday in Ellijay.