Splitting wins in storybook fashion
Dalton Bowman’s grand slam caps a comeback win for Cedartown over Rockmart.
When east meets west in Polk County, all bets are usually off in athletic competition. Throw out the rest of the season’s statistics and scores, the predictions and armchair coaching.
Only fate knows the o ut c o mes when t he Jackets visits Cedartown, or the Bulldogs drive over to play at the Rock.
So it was this year as well. The storyline of this game outshined any movie Hollywood could have scripted with so many dynamics at play.
Rockmart looked to end their regular season strong, after just a few runs kept them from repeating a region championship f or t he 2018 season. Cedartown wanted one last win for head coach Doyle Kelley’s career. Bragging rights always matter between the rivals.
“Many people didn’t give us a chance to win, and to come out and do it in the fashion that we did it in,” Kelley said. “It’s amazing.”
Enter Dalton Bowman to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning, and a big swing sent the ball soaring to the fences and cleared the bases to secure Cedartown’s 9- 2 comeback win. The grand slam was followed up by senior Jack Haney closing out the Jackets in the top of the seventh as Cedartown wrapped up their 2018 schedule.
“Bowman hitting that grand slam, my heart did a flitter flutter on that one. I know it’s healthy now,” Kelley said. “It was amazing him getting to hit that ball like he did.”
Cedartown’s win only came after a lot of big hits during the bottom of the sixth and a two-run RBI hit by Haney to get the Bulldogs tied back up. Rockmart had taken the lead after both teams went scoreless through the fourth. Both teams relied on pitchers to do much of the defensive work during the first half the game, and then turned when the Jackets added two on the board in the top half of the fifth.