Ridgeland gets back in region hunt
It wasn’t the three-game sweep the Ridgeland Panthers were hoping for, but a nice consolation prize just the same.
The Panthers, desperate for some wins after dropping five of their first six region games, took two of three from Southeast Whitfield in a region series last week, winning the first two in series before dropping Game 3.
Ridgeland 3, Southeast 2
The Panthers put up three runs in the top of the first inning and made them hold up in a win at Southeast this past Wednesday.
A one-out double by Dylan Wooten got the Ridgeland rally going in the Panthers’ first at-bat. Austin Delay followed with an RBI-single and Will Hodges ripped a double to bring in Delay with the second run. Riley Harrison capped the inning with an RBI and turned things over to pitcher Tanner Hill.
Hill gave up a run in the first as a grounder by Oman Chavarria brought in Brady Foster and Foster would score again in the fifth to cut the lead to one.
The Raiders would go on to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but Hill would pitch out of the jam to leave the sacks full.
Riley Harrison would take over the seventh, looking to close it out, but two runners would reach with one out and a sacrifice bunt would move both runners into scoring position. However, Harrison induced a groundball to second for the final out, stranding the final two runners and giving his team a muchneeded win.
Hill struck out six and gave up just three hits, while Harrison recorded the save.
Ridgeland 11, Southeast 1
The Panthers broke out their hitting sticks in a big way in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Jay Smith Field on Friday, scoring three times in the first, twice in the second, once in the fourth and five times in the fifth to end the game on the run rule.
Ridgeland pounded out 15 hits, seven of which were of the two-base variety. Hill had two doubles, scored three times and collected two RBIs. Wooten was 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, two runs scored and two stolen bases and he also got the win on the bump with five innings of fourhit ball.
Delay and Hodges knocked in two runs apiece. Harrison and Shawn Wilson each went 2-for-3, while Harrison, Jalyn Shelton and Ivy Boehm each had one RBI.
Southeast 7, Ridgeland 4
The Raiders led 5-0 after the top of the fourth and 7-1 after five complete innings before the Panthers tried to rally.
Hill hit an RBI-single in the bottom of the sixth and Wooten followed up with a two-RBI shot, but that would be all the Panthers would get as the Raiders slammed the door in the seventh.
Hill and Wooten each had two hits. Shelton started the game on the mound, but was replaced in the top of the second. He suffered the loss.
The next game for Ridgeland (7-9, 3-6) will be at home on April 4 as they face county rival LaFayette in the opening games of an important three-game series.