Panthers drop 7-AAAA series to Cedartown
It was a tough start to the Region 7-AAAA slate for the Ridgeland Panthers this past week as defending region champion Cedartown swept the three-game series, including both ends of a doubleheader in Rossville on Friday.
CEDARTOWN 12, RIDGELAND 0
The Bulldogs scored five runs in the first, two in the second and three more in the third to hand the Panthers a five-inning defeat in the first game of the series Thursday night in Polk County.
Curtis Wells and Dakota Stone each had singles for Ridgeland.
Wells gave up four earned runs on three hits and three walks in his inning on the mound. Dakota Leonard pitched the next two innings. He allowed four hits and three walks with one strikeout, while none of the runs he allowed were earned. Wyatt Blevins pitched a scoreless inning in the fourth, walking two and striking out one.
CEDARTOWN 16, RIDGELAND 5
In the opening game of Friday’s doubleheader back at Jay Smith Field, the Bulldogs took a 3-2 lead after the first inning before erupting for eight runs in the top of the second to blow the game open.
Wells was 2 for 3 with a run scored and three RBIs for Ridgeland. Dyllan Curtis was 1 for 3 with an RBI. Hudson Couch doubled and scored twice, while Dakota
Stone also knocked in a run.
Hayden Brewer allowed six earned runs on five hits and four walks with one strikeout during his time on the mound. Christian Duke went 3.1 innings, giving up four earned runs on five hits and three walks before Eli Massey recorded the final two outs.
CEDARTOWN 15, RIDGELAND 4
Game 2 saw the Panthers draw first blood. Couch belted a solo homerun in the first inning and Ethan Waters brought in a second run on a sacrifice fly later in the inning to stake Ridgeland to a 2-0 lead.
However, Cedartown cut the lead in half with a run in the top of the fourth and then scored seven runs in each of the next two innings to pull away and complete the sweep of the twinbill.
The Panthers’ final two runs came in the sixth inning as Stone hit a double that brought in Waters and Hunter Medrano.
Waters pitched the first four innings and allowed three earned runs on two hits. He struck out three batters, but issued seven walks. Chris Maddeaux gave up four earned runs on three walks and one hit and Massey allowed three earned runs on four hits and a walk before Blevins gave up an unearned run in his inning of relief. He struck out three batters and walked one.
Ridgeland (4-6, 0-3) will continue region play this week. They will travel to Southeast Whitfield on Tuesday before hosting the Raiders in a doubleheader on Friday.