Rockmart off to solid start despite first loss

It was easy enough for the Rockmart baseball team to get off to a good start.

CJ Culver and Brayden Cole each had three RBIs to help the the Jackets earn its third straight win in a 10-0 shutout against Chapel Hill last Wednesday at home.

Culver was 3-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored, Cole was 2-for-3 with a double, a stolen base and a run scored, Cole Deems had a run scored and an RBI, Cooper Yanzetich scored a run, and Sam Wilbanks had a double.

On the mound for Rockmart, Trevor Caldwell improved to 1-0 on the season, allowing one hit and striking out seven over three innings. Culver and Javin Whatley combined two strike out five over two innings of relief.

Then they faced a tough Harrison team that flipped to scoreboard on them completely, and the Jackets took their first loss of 2020 in a 10-0 shutout last Friday on the road in Kennesaw.

Rockmart (3-1) held Harrison scoreless through the first two innings before the Jackets gave up a five-run

inning in the third and a pair of runs in the fourth to fall behind. The Jackets then gave up three more in the sixth before the game was called with a 10-run lead for the Hoyas.

The Jackets got a break to lick their wounds and regroup after the loss before they get into tournament play this week. Rockmart has IMG Academy Black and Hewitt-Trussville in the Perfect Game Showdown in Hoover, Alabama start on Thursday coming up, and continue in the tournament in games planned for Friday and Saturday ahead.

When they come back from the break, they get into region play with their opener in 7-AA play coming up against Coosa, then have a three-game home stand with Armuchee, Coosa and Cedartown on the books for March 11, 13 and 14.