HAZELHURST — Chaden Carter’s two-run double in the top of the seventh inning broke a 2-all tie lifting Ware County’s junior varsity to a 5-2 victory here Wednesday over Jeff Davis to halt a three-game losing streak.
The Gators’ (8-4) three-run seventh was in response to the Yellow Jackets scoring twice in the bottom of the sixth tying the score at 2apiece in the March 18 matchup. Ware County recorded the games’ only runs with a two-run second.
Jeff Davis won the March 11 meeting at Ware County posting a 10-3 victory.
After leaving two runners on base in the first inning, the Gators broke through in the second. Hayes Sweat (1-for-2) was hit by the second pitch leading off the frame. Consecutive walks to Brayden Tanner and Ryder Kinnon followed loading the bases with nobody out. Brodie Burchett (1for-4) lined a first-pitch run-scoring single one out later for a 1-0 lead. An ensuing Ashton Suess walk forced home the second run.
Ware County left Trace Crosby (2-for-4) in the third inning after a leadoff double. The Gators left two on in the fourth. Lucas Howard (1for-3) was hit by a one-out pitch with Burchett reaching one pitch later when his grounder was bobbled.
Two Ware County batters were left standing in the fifth. Reavis Barnes (2-for-3) opened the inning with a single with Sweat getting hit by a two-out pitch. The Gators left two more in the sixth with Kinnon getting hit to start the inning and Howard following with a single.
Jeff Davis broke through in the bottom of the sixth against Kinnon, the third Ware County pitcher following Barnes and Crosby. The duo combined to pitch four hitless innings with Kinnon taking the nono into the sixth.
A one-out single was followed by an error. A two-out, run-scoring single cut the lead to 2-1 A two-out, bases loaded balk tied the score.
Carter followed Kinnon to the mound working around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh to retire the next three batters — the last two on swinging third strikes.
