Colquitt County’s Blake Bennett hit the first pitch thrown by Worth County for a home run over the left field fence.

It is a nice, productive start when your leadoff batter hits the first pitch he sees for a home run and your pitchers go on to allow just one in seven innings.

That’s how the 2013 Colquitt County baseball team started on Friday when they played host to Worth County in a scrimmage at Ike Aultman Field.

After senior starter Aubrey McCarty retired the Rams in order in the top of the first, Blake Bennett slammed the first of the bottom of the inning over the left field fence to give Colquitt County a 1-0 lead.

The Packers scored four more runs in the second inning and cruised to a 7-1 victory.

“I was relatively pleased with everything, especially for the first time out,” Packers coach Tony Kirkland said. “There were a couple of mental things defensively we need to work on.

“But I was pleased that our pitchers threw strikes and our batters had a plan at the plate.”

Vanderbilt-signee Aubrey McCarty pitched the first two innings, facing the minimum against a young Worth County team.

He walked the leadoff batter in the second, but the runner was gunned down at the plate on a throw from right fielder Daren Kent to catcher Preston Berry in an inning-ending double play.

The Packers followed with Cole Bryant pitching around a walk and an error in scoreless third.

Jonah Bozeman walked two batters, but escaped the fourth unscathed.

Zack Saunders pitched the fifth and gave up a run on a pair of singles and a walk.

Ross Goforth pitched the sixth and, although he hit a batter with a pitch, did not allow a ball out of the infield.

Bennett retired the side in order in the seventh.

The six Packer pitchers combined to give up just two singles, five walks and one hit batsman.

They registered seven strikeouts.

The Packers had eight hits on a chilly night at Packer Park.

In addition to his strong throw from right field to retire a runner at the plate, Kent, the former third baseman, also went 3-for-3 an scored a run.

Colquitt scored four runs in the second inning with Bozeman getting the big hit, a two-run single. Another run scored on an error and the fourth came home when Tony Simpson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Colin Kirkland put the Packers up 6-0 in the third inning with a two-out double that scored Kent from first.

The final Packers run came in the fifth when Andy Bush walked and scored on a double to center field by Goforth.

McCarty had the Packers other hit, a second inning single. He score on the Bozeman base hit.

Fourteen Packers batted in the game. Only three struck out.

The Pack will open the season next Friday, meeting Crisp County in Leesburg.