Trojans turn up the pressure
As the 2017 baseball season approaches the halfway point, the Gordon Lee Trojans appear to be well in mid-season form.
A 9-3 overall record includes a 4-0 start in Region 6-A and the top-ranked team in the Class A public school division showed their depth and mental toughness this past week by winning four straight games over four straight ranked opponents – including back-to-back region victories on the road – in four straight days.
Gordon Lee 5, Bowdon 1
After a rainout on Tuesday, the week began on Wednesday for the Trojans, who all the offense they would need in the bottom of the third inning as senior pitchers Ethan Clark and Chaney Rogers combined on a no-hitter in a home win over No. 2-ranked Bowdon.
Clark, who is on his way to Austin Peay, threw the first five innings to get the victory. He walked two and struck out eight. Rogers, the University of Georgia signee, went the final two innings. He walked two and gave up a run, but struck out six Red Devil hitters.
There were zeroes on the board until the third when the Trojans put up five runs on four hits, a wild pitch, a Bowdon error and a dropped third strike.
Dylan Minghini and Cole Tarvin had RBI- singles in the inning. Clark helped himself by knocking in a run. Caleb Hopkins plated another with a sacrifice fly and one more run scored on a wild pitch.
Bowdon would finally get on the board in the top of the sixth inning. Cason Parmer was hit by a pitch with one out and three pitches in the dirt would move him around to score. But Rogers would fight back to strike out two straight hitters and strand a runner at second base.
Gordon Lee looked to add to the lead a half-inning later as they loaded the bases with one out. However, two flyballs to shallow right field ended the threat.
Hopkins had a double and Mason Pettigrew singled to account for the Trojans’ other two hits.
Gordon Lee 5, Ringgold 3
The Trojans led 4-0 after the first three innings on Thursday and held on for a home win over the Tigers, who came into the game ranked No. 3 in Class AAA.
Both teams had just three hits. Drew McDaniel homered for Gordon Lee. Rogers doubled and Clark had a single.
Rhett Baldwin had a two-run homer for Ringgold. Hunter Ricketts doubled and Holden Tucker singled, while Daulton Schley picked up an RBI.
Mason Pettigrew threw three innings to get the win for Gordon Lee, while Tarvin worked the last 2.2 innings to get the save. Tucker took the loss for the Tigers after pitching three innings.
Gordon Lee 6, Trion 3
The Navy-andWhite made it three consecutive wins on Friday night when they doubled up the No. 5-ranked Bulldogs.
Gordon Lee jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the top of the first against Bulldog starter Cole Phillips and maintained the margin through four innings before they tacked on a solo run in fifth.
Trion would get right back in the game as Jackson Bowers
touched up Gordon Lee starter Austin Thompson for a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. However, the Trojans would get both runs back in the sixth and they added one final insurance run in the seventh.
Trion would plate a run in their final at-bat against Noah Peterson, who came in to pitch the seventh. However, that would be all they would get as the Trojans collected the road win.
Thompson went six strong innings, allowing two earned runs on just three hits. He walked three and struck out seven. Peterson gave up an earned run on one hit with a strikeout in the seventh to get the save.
Phillips pitched five innings, giving up an earned run on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts.
McDaniel hit his second homer in as many nights as part of a 2-for-4 night. Justin Wooden was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Clark was 2-for-4 and Hopkins doubled and knocked in a run. Peterson added a triple and Minghini was credited with an RBI.
Evan Walker had the final RBI for the Bulldogs.
Gordon Lee 4, Bowdon 3
The Trojans broke a 3-3 tie with the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh and went on to sweep the season series from the No. 2-ranked Red Devils on Saturday afternoon.
Clark took the mound in the second inning after Bowdon touched up Rogers, the Gordon Lee starter, for three runs – only one earned – in one inning of work.
Clark went the rest of the way, striking out six and allowing just one walk in six hitless innings. In his last three appearances on the mound, Clark is 3-0 with 27 strikeouts, one walk and one hit allowed.
Kobie Cowan was 2-for-4 with a run. Rogers had a hit and scored once, while Hopkins had a double and drove in two runs.
Results of Monday’s scheduled game at Model were not available as of press time. Gordon Lee was slated to for a homeand-home series with Excel Christian (at home on Tuesday, at Cartersville on Thursday) before heading to Rome on Saturday to face Darlington in a game that will be played at State Mutual Stadium, the home of the Rome Braves.