Ware County's “Murder's Row” schedule continued Monday with Lowndes finishing off the early season sweep of the Gators notching a 13-8 victory.
The ScoreAtlanta Class 6A fifth-ranked Vikings (2-2), coming in off a 5-1 loss to IMG Academy, kept Ware County (0-4), which dropped from the rankings after the first week, winless following the February 16 matchup. Lowndes dealt the Gators a 6-4 setback in the February 10 encounter in Valdosta.
The Vikings scored all of their runs over the last four innings, with 12 runs charged to the Ware County bullpen. The four relivers were charged with eight hits and 12 runs, all earned. They fanned three, walked seven and hit a batter on 89 pitches.
Slade Sweat worked the four innings leaving with a 3-1 lead. Sweat scattered four hits, fanned six, walked one and uncorked a wild pitch in his 65pitching outing.
Lowndes, after stranding two base runners over the first three frames, plated a run in the fourth for a 1-0 advantage. Sweat surrendered consecutive singles to start the inning, putting runners at first and third. A sacrifice fly to center by Derrick Carter plated the lead runner.
The Gators came right back with a three-run rally against Carter (5.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 8 K, 5 BB, 1 WP) to take a short-lived 3-1 lead.
Walker Hudson (1-for-3) laced a leadoff single and stole second ahead of a walk to Landon Smallwood (1-for-3). After a passed ball advanced the runners, Seth Suess (2-for-3) lined an opposite field double scoring both runners for a 21 advantage.
Following a walk to Colt Cox and a passed ball moving the runners up 90 feet, Collin Crawford layed down a suicide squeeze bunt scoring Suess for a two-run advantage.
The Vikings responded with three runs in the top of the fifth to take the lead for good at 4-3. Trace Crosby (0 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 K, 2 BB) walked the first two batters and was replaced by Ryder Kinnon (1+ IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP), who was greeted by a runscoring double and a RBI groundout, tying the score at 3-all. A two-out passed ball allowed the lead run to cross the plate.
Lowndes tacked on six runs in the sixth, sending 11 batters to the plate, nine straight reaching to start the inning against Kinnon and Lucas Howard (.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 K, 3 BB) and Eli Watkins (1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 K, 1 BB). The Vikings scored two runs on each of two bases loaded singles, a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly for a 10-4 advantage.
Ware County got one run back in the bottom of the inning, closing the deficit to 10-5 on a bases loaded walk to Garrison Joyner. Suess drew a one-out walk, Cox reached on an error and Crawford walked to set up the score. Joyner's ensuing walk came on a 3-2 pitch.
The Vikings added three runs in the seventh on a one-out, run-scoring single, a one-out double and a sacrifice fly, extending the margin to 13-5.
The Gators didn't go down without a fight, plating four runs in the bottom of the seventh. Sweat (1-for-3) lined a leadoff single and stole second ahead of Hudson drawing a free pass. Smallwood lined the ensuing pitch for a run-scoring double. Suess delivered a two-run single two pitches later pulling Ware County to within 13-7.
Cox followed with a walk giving the Gators two runners on. A passed ball moved Suess to third, with Cox stealing second one pitch later. Joyner's groundout scored Suess with the final run. Pinch-hitter Chaden Carter drew a two-out walk ahead of the final out.
