Ridgeland takes first two from Southeast

Ridgeland climbed over the .500 mark overall and in Region 6-AAAA play with a pair of victories over Southeast Whitfield last week.

Ridgeland 8, Southeast 5

After last Tuesday’s originally scheduled game was postponed, the Panthers and Raiders got their region series started on Wednesday and it was the visitors picking up the win in Dalton.

Ridgeland did most of its damage with four runs in the top of the third inning. They finished the day with 11 hits, including a pair of doubles by Terrance Roberts, who also scored three times.

Chris Maddeaux was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and one RBI. Austyn Acuff had two hits and drove in two runs, while Caleb Goodwin and Hudson Couch also had one RBI apiece.

Maddeaux got the victory on the hill. He pitched 6.2 innings, allowing just two earned runs on eight hits and two walks. He finished with four strikeouts, while Acuff got the final out on strikes to pick up the save.

Ridgeland 8, Southeast 7

The Panthers enjoyed an 8-1 lead going into the top of the seventh on Thursday night, but nearly saw it all slip away before finally finishing off a one-run victory over the Raiders in Game 2 of their series at Jay Smith Field.

Ridgeland led 7-0 after three innings and tacked on an insurance run in the sixth. However, the Raiders would plate six runs on just three hits in the top of the seventh and had bases loaded with one out.

But second baseman Drew Meade would catch a pop-up and double the runner off the bag at second to complete a gift-wrapped, game-ending double play to secure the victory.

Ridgeland (6-4, 3-2) had 10 hits on the afternoon. Lane Johnson had a single and a triple to go with an RBI and two runs scored. Meade went 2 for 3. Isaac Pitts was 2 for 3 with two RBI’s. Roberts had a hit and an RBI, while Couch, a freshman, belted his first prep homer with two-run shot in the bottom of the first.

Robert Jent walked eight batters in six innings, but also struck out nine and allowed just four hits while the run he gave up was unearned. Meade recorded one out in the seventh before turning things over to Acuff, who got the final two outs to pick up the save.

Game 3 of the series, set for Friday, was postponed.