TCHS Takes 2 of 3 From Raiders

Courtesy of TCHS

The Toombs County High School Bulldog baseball team faced off with the Raiders of Savannah Christian last week in a three-game Region series. Toombs took the series with two wins, dropping the middle game of the series.

Game 1

Runs were hard to come by on Tuesday night, but the Toombs County Bulldogs made the most of their opportunities, earning a hard-fought 3-2 win over Savannah Christian in a tightly contested matchup.

Jackson Jenkins was solid on the mound for Toombs, recording 18 outs and keeping the Bulldogs in striking distance early. Savannah Christian jumped out to a 2-0 lead, scoring one run in the first and another in the second on RBI singles.

The Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the fourth inning. Riley Kersey delivered a key RBI single down the left field line, and Nick Carroll drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 2-2. Toombs took the lead later in the inning and never looked back.

Jenkins earned the win, going six innings while allowing seven hits and two runs. He struck out seven and walked two. Ty Hutcheson came in to close it out, tossing a scoreless final inning with two strikeouts to earn the save.

Offensively, Toombs County got continued from page

strong production from the bottom of the order. Tyson Brantley, and Kersey combined for four of the team’s seven hits and scored two of the three runs. Kipp Mosely also had a good day at the plate getting a hit, drawing a walk, and getting hit by a pitch. Brantley and Kersey each finished with two hits, while Brantley also swiped two bases. Joseph Owens and Kersey were credited with RBIs.

The Bulldogs played clean defense, committing no errors in the win.

Game 2

Nick Carroll put on a show at the plate, launching two home runs and driving in two runs, but the Toombs County Bulldogs came up just short in a 6-5 loss to Savannah Christian on Wednesday in Game 2 of a threegame region series. Carroll’s blasts came in the first and sixth innings.

Toombs County jumped out early, plating three runs in the top of the first. Carroll opened the scoring with a solo home run to left field. Jackson Jenkins was hit by a pitch and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Riley Kersey, giving the Bulldogs an early edge.

Savannah Christian responded in the bottom of the first, tying the game 3-3 after a walk to Brian Hong, a double by Jiwoo Hong, and a single by Mason Omohundro.

The Raiders took the lead in the second inning when Harding Dennis singled in two runs to go ahead 5-3.

The Bulldogs continued to battle. Kersey homered to left in the fourth, trimming the deficit to one. Carroll struck again with his second solo shot of the day in the sixth inning, but Toombs couldn’t close the gap.

Carroll finished the day with two home runs and two RBIs. Kersey added a home run and two RBIs of his own. Brody Benton pitched well in relief, going four and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out four. Joseph Owens got the start, giving up five runs on three hits in just over an inning of work.

Defensively, the Bulldogs were sharp, turning one double play and committing no errors in the field.

Game 3

In a tightly contested battle on Thursday, the Toombs County Bulldogs outlasted Savannah Christian 2-1 in a classic pitcher’s duel. Ty Hutchinson went the distance for Toombs, tossing a complete game and recording all 21 outs.

The Bulldogs struck first in the bottom of the first inning when Cameron Ledford delivered an RBI single on an 0-2 count to give Toombs a 1-0 lead.

Savannah Christian tied the game in the top of the fourth after grounding into a double play that brought in a run. The score remained even until the bottom of the fifth, when Joseph Owens came through with a clutch RBI single to give Toombs the go-ahead run.

Hutchinson was outstanding on the mound, allowing five hits and one unearned run over seven innings while striking out five and walking three. Savannah Christian’s Dawson Kelly also pitched well, surrendering just two runs on six hits over six innings with five strikeouts.

Ledford and Owens each drove in a run for the Bulldogs. Toombs County also played solid defense, turning two double plays and committing no errors.

The Bulldogs are now 13-8 on the season and they are 5-1 in Region play. This week they will match up with the Tigers of Swainsboro for a threegame Region series. They played the first of those games on Tuesday after presstime. They will play on Thursday in Lyons at 5:45 p.m., and will wrap up the week on Friday in Swainsboro at 5:45 p.m.

Nick Carroll tags out a Savannah Christian runner at second base.Photo by TCHS