Cedartown is keeping in the region mix
The Cedartown Bulldogs are still fighting for position to remain near the top of the standings in region play after splitting with LaGrange and capping off the week before rainy weather moved in with a win over Central.
That put a 13-10 Cedartown (5-2 5-4A) in third place behind a first place Cartersville and a second place Troup County as the regular season begins to wind down for the Bulldogs.
Last week ended with the Bulldogs bouncing back to take two wins in a row — a 8th inning 5-4 win over the Grangers and a 13-9 win over Central after taking a hard loss to LaGrange to start off the week.
That 7-6 loss came as a result of missing opportunities to close the Grangers out on the night.
Cedartown opened scoring in the top of the first when Jerry Simmons touched home following a throwing error. However, LaGrange put together one of their best offensive innings all game in the bottom of the second as they batted around the lineup. Brant Williams touched home on a RBI hit by Will Lanier before Lanier and Mason Green were walked home with the bases loaded. This gave the Grangers a 3-1 lead.
The Bulldogs brought across one run in the third when Easton Oxenreider scored on a sacrifice fly by Cade Smith. In the top of the fourth, Cedartown took the lead as Griffin Elder stroked a hanging curveball to right center field. The junior centerfielder’s 2 RBI double brought home Tyler Gosdin and Corben Cuzzort. The hit gave Cedartown their second lead of the game, 4-3. Later in the fourth, Cade Dingler scored on a RBI groundout by Oxenreider. After a passed ball, Elder came crashing home to extend the Bulldogs lead. He initially was tagged out, but the ball popped out of the Granger defender’s glove, allowing the advantage to increase to 6-3.
LaGrange was down but not out. Will Alford was drove in by Charles Crawford to cut their deficit to two runs. After a scoreless fifth, the score remained 6-4. Cedartown starting pitcher Dalton Bowman was pulled between innings, allowing Corben Cuzzort to relieve. Unfortunately, the sophomore struggled finding the strike zone, recording only one out and walking in two runs and to tie the game. Gosdin was called on with the bases loaded, retiring the two remaining batters.
The top of the seventh began in promising fashion for Cedartown: After having runners at first and second with one out, Cuzzort struck out. Later in the inning on a wild pitch, courtesy runner Zane Barrow attempted to steal third base and was thrown out to retire the side. In the bottom of the inning, Tyler Gosdin retired the first two batters. LaGrange’s Green reached on an error by Jacob Bradshaw, and was brought in on a base hit to the outfield by Trent Bailey. When the celebration ended, the Grangers walked away with a 7-6 victory.
Tyler Gosdin, who pitched well until the very end, was tagged with his first loss of the season. Corben Cuzzort and Dalton Bowman were both given no-decisions.
Cedartown was set to play on Monday after press time in the second game of their series against Central at home, followed by a road trip on Wednesday to Troup County before they return home Friday to finish out region play against the Tigers. Next week, Cedartown starts on the road on April 15 at Cartersville, and finishes out the regular season at home on April 17 hosting the Purple Hurricanes.