WCHS goes to No. 5 N. Oconee for Round 2
Ware County scored runs in its first nine trips to the plate and in 10 of 13 innings during its Class 5A first round sweep Wednesday of visiting Druid Hills.
The then MaxPreps fifth-ranked Gators (25-5) bested Region 5 thirdseed Druid Hills (20-12), ranked 17th, 11-3 in the April 23 opener. Ware County followed with a 94 victory in Game 2 over the Red Devils.
The Gators, who fell two slots to No. 7, travel to Bogart to face fifth-ranked Region 8 champion North Oconee (23-6) in the second round which began Tuesday, April 29 with the “if” game slated for Wednesday, April 30 The Titans, winners of six straight, downed Region 2 fourth-seed Locust Grove 6-5 and 10-5.
Ware County is making its fourth appearance in five years in the second round. The Gators have won an opening series eight times in program history.
Region champion Wayne County (28-4), winners of nine straight and victorious in 15 of its last 16 games, was the only other Region 1 member to advance against Region 5. The Yellow Jackets swept fourth-seed Southwest DeKalb winning 11-1 and 7-1.
Wayne County will host Region 8 runner-up Flowery Branch (17-11), ranked 14th. The Falcons knocked off Region 2 third-seed and 22nd-ranked Jones County (21-7) winning 7-3 and 7-5. Region champion St. Pius X (31-2), ranked fourth, stretched its winning streak to eight games beating fourth-seed Perry (10-16) 5-0 and 16-0.
Region runner-up and second-ranked Marist (275), winners of 12 straight, ousted third seed Benedictine (15-17) 14-0 and 11-1.
Game 1 No. 5 Gators............11 No. 17 Druid Hills ....3
A two-out error plated two runs in the bottom of the third giving Ware County the lead for good and rode the complete game performance of Evan Joiner to take the opener against the Red Devils.
The Gators scored a run in the opening inning, the first of six straight frames with a run, on Slade Sweat’s (2-for-3) two-out single. Seth Suess (2-for-2) drew a one-out walk and Walker Hudson (1-for-4) followed with a first-pitch single After Bryce Dixon (1for-3) reached on a fielder’s choice, Sweat punched an 0-2 pitch into right scoring Suess for a 10 lead.
Ware County’s Landon Smallwood’s hustle on a slow chopper to third forced a hurried throw the Druid Hills first baseman was unable to scoop up on the hop in Game 1 of Wednesday’s first round playoff series. The Gators scored two runs on the two-out play in the third inning with Slade Sweat trotting home from third and Evan Joiner racing in from second giving Ware County a lead it would not relinquish at 4-3. Photo By RICK HEAD
Druid Hills came right back with three runs in the top of the second against Joiner (7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 8 K, 3 BB, 1 WP), who needed 112 pitches to complete what he started.
The Red Devils scored on a one-out single, an error (second of inning) and a fielder’s choice groundout to take a 3-1 lead.
Ware County plated a run the second to get to within 3-2. Joiner (2-for-3) drew a leadoff walk with courtesy runner Collin Crawford retired on Evan Pearson’s (1-for-3) one-out fielder’s choice.
Luke Hooks (1-for-2) followed with a two-out walk to keep the inning alive. After both runners moved up on an error, Cole Cox (3-for-4) legged out an infield hit with Pearson scoring.
A two-out error on a ball hit by Sweat in the bottom of the third proved costly for the Red Devils. Joiner sliced a base hit to right with both runners taking an extra base on the relay throw.
Landon Smallwood’s hustle down the line after hitting a slow chopper to short forced a quick, low throw in the dirt which was bobbled by the first baseman. Sweat scored the tying run with Joiner racing home with the goahead run and a 4-3 lead.
Ware County struck for a run in the bottom of the fourth. Consecutive oneout singles by Cox and Suess put runners on the corners. Hudson followed with a run-scoring fielder’s choice extending the advantage to 5-3.
A four-run fifth gave the Gators a 9-3 lead. Dixon opened the inning with a single ahead of a walk to Sweat. After a fielder’s choice groundout by Joiner, Smallwood lifted a sacrifice fly to right scoring Dixon with the first run.
Pearson followed with a first-pitch, run-scoring bloop single to right driving home Joiner for a 7-3 lead. Consecutive walks to Hooks and Cox loaded the bases. Suess delivered a two-run single as the margin ballooned to 9-3.
Ware County chased home two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Consecutive one-out singles by Sweat and Joiner were followed by a wild pitch and Smallwood’s second sacrifice fly of the game. Isaiah White (1-for-1) finished out the scoring with a oneout single.
Game 2 No. 5 Gators.............9 No. 17 Druid Hills ....4
The Gators took charge quickly scoring five times in the first inning coasting to the victory and sweep.
Ware County sent 10 batters to the plate collecting four hits, two walks with an error thrown in. The miscue came on the first batted ball of the inning with Cox reaching.
One out later with Cox at second after a wild pitch, he stole third ahead of a walk to Hudson (1for-2) starting a string of six consecutive batters reaching base. Dixon (2for-4) followed with a runscoring single for the early 1-0 lead.
After a single by Sweat (3-for-4) loaded the bases, Joiner walked forcing home a run. Smallwood (2-for-4) lined a 1-2 pitch the other way for a 3-0 lead. White (2-for-3) stroked the next offering for a two-run single and a 5-0 advantage.
The Gators added two runs in the top of the second to open up a 7-0 lead. Hudson was hit by a oneout pitch and removed for Crawford. Dixon and Sweat lined consecutive hits to load the bases. Smallwood delivered a two-out base hit scoring Crawford and Dixon.
Druid Hills got one run back in the bottom of the second against Suess (4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 K, 3 BB) on a one-out, sacrifice fly set up by back-to-back base hits to start the inning.
Ware County responded with a run in the top of the third re-establishing a seven-run advantage at 8-1. Suess (2-for-4) reached on a two-out infield hit. Courtesy runner Landon Taylor raced around the bases and scored on Hudson’s opposite field triple to right.
The Gators, who left a runner on base in both the fifth and sixth innings, scored their final run in the sixth. Suess led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, reached third on a groundout and scored on Sweat’s two-out single.
Druid Hills scored two in the bottom of the sixth to cut the margin to 9-3 against Smallwood (2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 2 WP). The Red Devils added a run in the bottom of the seventh against Sweat (1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K, 2 BB, 2 WP).
Ware County’s Collin Crawford dives safely back into first base beating the attempted pickoff throw to the Druid Hills first baseman. Photo By RICK HEAD
