Ramblers swept by Pickens
It was a tough week for the LaFayette Ramblers, whose playoffs chances took a hit with three straight losses to Pickens.
Pickens 2, LaFayette 1
In Game 1 Tuesday night in Jasper, the Ramblers got six solid innings on the hill from A.J. Buck, but couldn’t find enough offense as they dropped the game to the Dragons.
Buck scattered seven hits and walked just one, finishing with three strikeouts in the loss. Both runs he allowed were earned.
Ethan Stephenson collected two more hits. Jack Martin had a double for the Ramblers, while Vyshonn Daniel scored LaFayette’s lone run.
Pickens 6, LaFayette 3
In the opener of Friday’s doubleheader in LaFayette, Pickens led 6-0 going into the bottom of the seventh when LaFayette began to make things interesting. The Ramblers scored three times in their final at-bat, but the rally attempt would fall short.
The first 10 batters for LaFayette were retired before Blake Mann broke up the perfect game bid with a fourth-inning double. The Ramblers also left runners on the corners in the fifth.
Hits by Martin and Colton Lane, plus three walks, helped account for the runs in the final frame.
Blake Guffey and Davis Richardson both reached base twice in the game as both had a single and drew a walk. John James started on the mound for the Orange-and-Black, striking out three in five innings. Richardson fanned three in two innings of relief.
Pickens 11, LaFayette 1
There was significantly less to speak of for the home team in the nightcap.
Mann scored without the benefit of a hit in the bottom of the first to stake the hosts to a 1-0 lead, but the Dragons (12-7, 7-2) would dent the scoring column for 11 unanswered runs the rest of the way, including back-to-back solo homers in the sixth.
Guffey took the loss for LaFayette, who did not have any base runners after the first inning.
LaFayette (4-14, 3-6) was scheduled to start a three-game series with Ridgeland on Tuesday.
They will host the Panthers at 5:30 p.m. before a doubleheader in Rossville next Friday at Jay Smith Field.