Cedartown scores big win over Rome
Cedartown baseball picked up one of their most exhilarating wins in recent memory on Thursday night.
The Bulldogs rallied late to knock off the Rome Wolves 7-6 in walkoff fashion at LakePoint. The win over Rome propels Cedartown to the Battle for Bartow Championship Saturday in Emerson.
Starting pitcher Corben Cuzzort allowed a single and a walk in the top of the first before retiring a strikeout to end the half-inning.
Though the temperatures were near freezing, CHS’s bats were on fire to start the game. Easton Oxenreider led-off the bottom of the first with a single and came around to score on a RBI single by Dylan Cupp. The freshman phenom later scored on a wild pitch to put the Bulldogs up 2-0 after one inning.
Cuzzort put out a one-two-three second inning to hold back the Wolves’ offense. On the flip side, Reece Tanner drew a walk and Oxenreider was hit by a pitch in the second. Despite moving both runners to scoring position, the Cedartown offense could not drive those runs in.
In the top of the third, Rome finally got on the board. Right fielder Connor Mason was hit by a pitch. He worked his way to third base and took advantage of a wild pitch to get the Wolves back into it.
Cedartown added another run in the bottom of the third. Dylan Cupp tripled to start the inning and jogged home after Cade Dingler connected on a RBI single. This put Cedartown up 3-1 through two-and-a-half innings.
As an aside, it is important to note that Cupp was walked each of his following three at-bats against the Wolves. This was arguably the best decision made by the Rome coaching staff all night.
Corben Cuzzort lost control of his pitches in the top of the fourth inning. After allowing a lead-off double to Hayden Filletti, Cuzzort walked the following three batters to bring in a run for the Wolves. Coach Gevin Johnson pulled Cuzzort after the final of the three walks which made it a one-run game.
Senior Easton Oxenreider came in to pitch and recorded a quick strikeout.
Unfortunately, he served a breaking pitch that hung right over the plate and Rome’s Johnathan Vigoa made him pay for it. Vigoa’s bloop hit to right field wound up being a bases-clearing 3 RBI double to give Rome a 5-3 advantage. The Wolves scored another run when Vigoa was brought home by Jack Orr.
After leading the entire game, CHS found themselves down 6-3 midway through the fourth inning. Luckily, the Bulldogs did not panic: they sat back and chipped away at the lead one batter at a time.
Cedartown’s offense loaded the bases in the top of the fourth but yet again stranded runners aboard. The Bulldogs did not fret on this situation though, and went back motivated to play stingy defense.
Oxenreider allowed one hit in the visitor’s half of the fifth inning but worked his way out of that threat with a ground-out and two strikeouts. The Shorter commit absolutely did his job, which was to keep the score exactly where it was.
In doing so, he allowed his team the opportunity to get back in striking distance.
Cedartown dropped a two-spot in the bottom of the fifth. Cade Dingler reached on a hard-hit double and scored on a wild pitch. Zane Barrow singled and was brought home by a Reece Tanner groundout. This brought CHS back within one run, now down 6-5.
Oxenreider was still on the mound to begin the sixth frame. After picking up two rather quick outs, Easton allowed one hit and two walks to load the bases. This forced Coach Johnson to make another change, which was to bring in closer Dylan Cupp. The freshman finished the inning by striking out Will Black in three pitches.
As alluded to earlier, Cupp was walked with one out in the bottom of the sixth. He worked his way into scoring position and charged home on a RBI single by Zane Barrow. The junior’s miracle hit tied the game at 6-all. Even though Cedartown left runners on second and third due to back-to-back strikeouts to end the sixth, the Bulldogs knew they had an opportunity to win this game.
Dylan Cupp walked two batters in the top of the seventh before retiring the side. The freshman gave Cedartown the boost they needed defensively at the plate and on the mound, but now it was time to cement this game as a Bulldog triumph.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Easton Oxenreider earned a base hit to get aboard. This was followed by a Griffin Elder double that moved Oxenreider 90 feet away from home plate. After walking Dylan Cupp, Rome’s Johnathan Vigoa faced MJ Holiday. The sophomore swung at the first pitch he saw and suffered a fly-out to second base.
With two out and the bases loaded, Cade Dingler had ice in his veins.
The junior connected on the first pitch he saw. As soon as it left the bat, everyone still in attendance at LakePoint’s Field 16 knew the game was over. Dingler’s booming shot burnt the Rome left fielder, falling well past his outstretched glove. As the baseball fell to the ground, Oxenreider clapped his hands emphatically while trotting home, representing the gamewinning run.
The savior of the game, Cade Dingler, was swarmed at second in a Dawg-pile for the ages.
Dingler finished 4-4 against the Wolves with three singles, a double, a walk, two RBI, and a run scored. Like Dingler, Dylan Cupp reached all five times he came up to the plate; the freshman hit a single, a triple, drew three walks, picked up a RBI, and scored three runs. Zane Barrow finished 2-4 with two singles, a RBI, and a run, while Easton Oxenreider was 2-3 with two singles, two walks, and two runs scored. Griffin Elder was 2-5 with a single and a double whereas Eli Barrow was 1-3 with a single and a walk. Jerry Simmons went 1-4 with a single and Reece Tanner went 1-3 with a single, a walk, and a RBI.
Corben Cuzzort put together three nice innings to start before his fourth-inning troubles. Oxenreider and Cupp pitched fantastically down the stretch, shutting down the Rome attack and minimizing the damage done.
After their walk-off win, Cedartown baseball advances to the Battle for Bartow Classic Championship Game for the second consecutive year.
Last season, the Bulldogs fell 9-4 to Cartersville in the championship after beating Woodland and Bremen in the previous two rounds. They will aim a better fate this time around against an opponent to be determined Friday night at LakePoint.
Cedartown, the Bracket 1 winner, was set to play the Bracket 2 winner. The other side of the tournament consists of Cartersville, Cass, Pepperell, and Riverside (S.C.).