Indians Take 3 From Bulldogs
The Vidalia High School Indians and Toombs County High School Bulldogs baseball teams met up last week for a three-game Region series. The Indians swept the series over the Bulldogs . The Indians moved to 10-9 overall, and they are 6-0 in Region play, while the Bulldogs are now 5-12-1 on the year and are 0-6 in the Region.
Game 1
The Vidalia Indians continued region play Monday night against the Bulldogs of Toombs County with a 14-4 five inning win at Greg James Field. Vidalia dominated play after the first inning to pick up the run rule win with a walk-off single by Cason Banks. Bryson Whited pitched all five innings for the Indians picking up the win while allowing on 2 hits and striking continued from page
out 6 Bulldogs. The Indians pounded out 13 hits including 4 doubles, 1 triple and 1 homerun. The offensive surge was led by Jordan Walden with 3 hits including a double and homerun and 3 RBI’s. Caden Spivey, Walker Moncus and Hughes Graham each had two hits with Spivey also getting 4 RBI’s. The Bulldogs scored three runs in the first with only one hit as the Indians walked two batters and committed three errors. However, the Indians picked up four runs of their own in the bottom half to go in front 4-3. Whited was hit by a pitch to start the inning and was replaced by a courtesy runner who was wild pitched to second but was thrown out at third as Moncus reached on an error. Graham followed with a double and Dalley walked to load the bases. Spivey drove a triple into right center field to score all three runners and then he scored on a sacrifice fly by Kaleb Bennett putting the Indians up 4-3 after one inning. Neither team scored in the second but the Bulldogs got a homerun in the top of the third to tie the game at 4-4. In the bottom half Dalley led off with a single and scored as Walden launched a homerun over the centerfield fence putting the Indians back on top 6-4 after three innings.
After getting the Bulldogs out without a score in the top of the fourth, the Indians exploded for 7 runs in the bottom half as they sent 11 men to the plate. Moncus got a leadoff single, followed by a single from Graham. They moved to 2nd and 3rd on a ground ball to the right side with Moncus then scoring on a single by Spivey. Bennett drew a walk and Walden singled in Graham leaving the bases loaded. After a strike out for the second out of the inning, Bryce Davis lined a double scoring all three runners. Whited followed with a double of his own driving in Davis, and then he scored as Moncus got his second hit of the inning. The Indians scored 7 runs on 7 hits to move in front 13-4 after four complete.
Whited shut down the Bulldogs again in the top of the 5th inning. In the bottom half the Indians loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter bringing up Banks who got an RBI single for the walk-off run rule 14-4 win.
Game 2
The Vidalia Indians had to work extra hard but they were able to pull out an 11-7 win in 8 innings against the Toombs County Bulldogs in Game 2 of their three game region series. The final game will be played Wednesday evening in Vidalia with a 5:45 start time. The win allowed the Indians to even their season record at 9-9 and stay undefeated at 5-0 in region play. The game featured five lead changes with the Indians claiming the final lead in the top of the 8th inning with 4 runs to go up 11-7. The Bulldogs did not go quietly in their half of the eight. After the first two batters were out, they drew two walks and the next batter slammed a hard line drive to left center that looked like a sure double that would plate two and bring the tying run to the plate, but Cason Banks made a diving catch for the third out to end the game.
Jordan Walden started for the Indians on the mound going 3 1/3 innings giving up three runs, striking out eight while walking six. Conner Whited came on in the bottom of the 4th inning with two on base and one out. He walked the first two batters and was relieved by Bryce Morley, who went the final 4 2/3 innings and picked up the win.
The Indians could only manage two hits through the first four innings and scored only one run. The bats finally came to life in the 5th inning as they picked up 12 more hits and 10 runs over the final four innings. The offense was led by Graham 3 hits, 3 runs, 3 RBI’s and Dalley 3 hits, 1 run, 2 RBI’s. Spivey, Whited and Davis contributed two hits each.
Neither team scored in the first inning, but the Bulldogs were able to pick up one run in the 2nd inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Indians tied it 1-1 in the top of the third. Toombs County went back in front with two runs in the fourth to make it a 3-1 game. The Indians were able to score four runs in the top of the 5th inning with RBI’s from Moncus, Dalley and Spivey to take a 5-3 lead. However, the Bulldogs were able to get two runs in the bottom half to tie the game back up at 5-5.
Neither team was able to score in the 6th inning leaving the game tied going to the 7th inning. In the top half the Indians plated two runs with hits from B. Whited, Graham and Dalley. The Bulldogs would not be denied and scored two themselves to send the game into extra innings.
In the 8th inning the Indians were able to combine a walk and error with hits from Davis, Graham, Dalley, Spivey and Walden to plate 4 runs going to the bottom half up 11-7 and set up the great diving catch by Banks to walk away with the hard fought win.
Game 3
The Vidalia Indians found a way to scratch out a 5-3 win over the Toombs County Bulldogs on Wednesday night at Greg James Field to complete a three game sweep of the Region series. Pitching dominated for both teams as the Indians were able to post only three base hits while the Bulldogs garnered only five hits. Caden Spivey got the start for the Indians and Brantley Upshaw was on the hill for the Bulldogs. Spivey started on the mound for the Indians going only 3 innings in his second outing of the season due to injury which still has him on a restricted pitch count. He struck out 8 batters while allowing only two infield hits and no runs. Conner Whited came on to start the 4th inning and pitched three innings allowing one run on three hits to pick up the win. Walker Moncus pitched the 7th inning to collect the save allowing two runs on one hit. Offensively, the Indians got base hits from Spivey, Walden and Moye with Moye getting a big solo homerun in the 6th inning.
In the first inning Spivey shut down the Bulldogs striking out the side. In the bottom half Bryson Whited got a leadoff walk, stole second and came all the way home when the catchers throw sailed into center field. Spivey picked up five more strikeouts in the 2nd and 3rd innings to keep the Bulldogs off the score board.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Bryce Davis struck out to start the inning, but when the catcher couldn’t handle it cleanly, Davis took off for first and a throwing error allowed him to get second base and another error on the play allowing him to get to third. After a pop fly out Moncus hit a ground ball to second allowing Davis to score putting the Indians on top 2-0.
Conner Whited came on in relief to start the 4th inning running into a bases loaded jam but only allowing one run to score. In the bottom of the 5th inning after one out, B. Whited reached on an error and moved to second on a ground ball out. With two outs Graham hit a deep fly to right field that was misplayed for an error allowing Whited to score putting the Indians up 3-1 after five.
The Bulldogs didn’t score in the top of the 6th inning, but the Indians picked up two more in the bottom half. Spivey led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a ground ball out. Banks popped a high foul fly down the left field side, and Spivey was able to tag and score. Morgan Moye then followed with a solo blast to left sending the game to the 7th inning with the Indians up 5-1.
Walker Moncus came on to pitch the 7th inning. After getting the first batter on a pop fly, he hit the second batter and the next batter blasted a two run shot to right closing the gap to 5-3 with one out. Moncus stayed calm getting the next two batters with a strike out and pop fly to end the game and collect the save.
The Indians will play a three game series against East Laurens this week. They played the first game on Tuesday after presstime. They will be back in action on Thursday at East Laurens at 5:30 p.m. and then on Friday in Vidalia at 5:45 p.m.
The Bulldogs will take on Bacon County this week. They played the first game on Monday after presstime and will play a double header on Friday at Bacon County with the first game at 4:00 p.m.
Brantley Upshaw was on the mound for TCHS in the third game of the Region series.Photo by Mike Branch
