VHS Into State Championship
The Vidalia Indians hosted the Lovett Lions in a double header state semi-final series at Greg James Field on Monday, May 16. The two teams split a pair of games with the Lions taking game one with a 4-1 score and the Indians taking game two by a 5-3 score.
Game 1
The Indians had a tough time at the plate in this game picking up only 5 singles. Bryson Whited pitched a complete game allowing six hits while striking out five Lion batters and giving up four runs to take the loss. The Indians could get nothing going on offense as they only picked up singles in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th innings. The only run the Indians could plate was in the 3rd inning when Whited led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pickoff throw, moved to 3rd on a ground ball out and scored when a strikeout pitch got away from the catcher.
The Lions plated two runs in the top of the 1st inning getting a double and two hit batters that loaded the bases with one out. A ground ball to short looked like an inning ending double play but an errant throw to first allowed two runs to score. With the Indians getting a couple of base runners but no score in the bottom half the Lions were up 2-0 after one complete.
Neither team scored in the 2nd inning but the Indians were able to get one in the bottom of the 3rd inning to make it a 2-1 game but that was as close as they could get. The Lions were able to pick up single runs in the 5th and 7th innings to push the final score to 4-1 and ending the Indians' winning streak at 22 straight.
Game 2
Caden Spivey started on the mound for the Indians in the must-win second game. Spivey went 5 innings striking out four, walking four, giving up 4 hits and allowing 3 runs while picking up the win. Bryce Morley came on to pitch the 6th and 7th innings to pick up the save and move the Indians on to game three tomorrow. Morley struck out three batters and gave up one hit while allowing no runs. The Indian offense did a little better picking up five runs and ten hits. Ty Dalley, Kevin Cox, Kaleb Bennett and Bryce Davis lead the way with two hits each.
The Indians scored one run in the top of the 1st inning as Dalley got a single and moved all the way to home plate on three wild pitches. With the Lions not scoring in the bottom half, the Indians were on top 1-0 after one complete.
In the 2nd inning, Cox led off with a single and was followed by Bennett and Davis with bunt singles to load the bases. Whited drew a walk to force in one run, and Dalley followed with a sacrifice fly for the second run of the inning. Davis was tagged out at the plate and a strikeout ended the inning. With the Lions going 1,2,3 in the bottom half, the Indians were up 3-0 after two complete.
In the top of the 3rd inning, the Indians picked up two more runs as Walden singled, and Cox blasted a two run homer, giving the Indians a 5-0 lead going to the bottom half. The Li- continued from page
ons were able to plate two runs in the bottom half to make it a 5-2 ball game after three complete.
The Indians were not able to score any more runs, and the Lions were only able to get one more run in the bottom of the 4th inning, making the final score 5-3 and giving the Indians a split and a chance to win again on Tuesday.
Game 3
The Vidalia Indians and the Lovett Lions met Tuesday evening May 17 for Game 3 of the state semi-final series at Greg James Field. After splitting a double header on Monday, this was the rubber match to see who would move on to face Thomasville for the 2A State Championship. Vidalia came out on top with a hard fought 5-4 win. Jordan Walden started on the mound for the Indians going 1 2/3 innings giving up three runs on four walks and two hits while striking out three. Kevin Cox came on in the 2nd inning to get the final out on one pitch. Cox went on to pitch the next 5 innings giving up one run on four hits and one walk while striking out three to pick up the win.
The Indian offense had only 7 hits in the game, but they made them count. Ty Dalley, Hughes Graham and Walker Moncus led the way with two hits each. Graham had a two RBI triple in the first inning while Moncus knocked in a run with a ground ball. Moncus also had a two run homer in the 6th inning.
In the top of the 1st inning, the Lions used two hits to score one run and take a 1-0 lead. In the bottom half, Bryson Whited was hit by a pitch, and Dalley followed with a double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Graham followed with a two run triple, and Moncus grounded out to short, scoring Graham to put the Indians on top 3-1 after one complete.
The Lions came right back in the top of the 2nd inning using three walks, a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly and ground out to score two and tie the game at 3-3 going to the bottom half. When Vidalia went down 1,2,3, it left the game tied after two complete.
In the top of the 3rd inning, the Lions were able to put one run on the board with two hits giving them a 4-3 lead. When the Indians went down 1,2,3, in the bottom half, the Lions had the one run lead after three complete.
The score remained at 4-3 until the bottom of the 6th inning when Graham got a one out single and Moncus lined a two run homer over the left field fence putting the Indians up 5-4 after six complete.
In the top of the 7th inning, the Lions leadoff batter reached on an error and moved to second on a single putting runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. When the next batter tried to bunt them into scoring position, Cox came off the mound to make a lunging catch and threw back to first for a double play. When the next batter flew out to right field, the Indians had secured the win and a trip to the State Championship series. VHS was scheduled to take on Thomasville on Monday of this week at Georgia Southern University for the State Championship. The weather has currently pushed back the opening double header of the best-of-three series to Tuesday morning after presstime.
Kevin Cox came in to pitch in relief in Game 3 against Lovett and shut them down as Vidalia picked up the win to advance to the State Championship.Photo by Mike Branch
Jordan Walden started on the mound for the Indians in Game 3.Photo by Mike Branch
Bryce Morley was on the mound in relief during Game 2 of the best-of-three series against Lovett.Photo by Carroll Williams
