MOULTRIE — With Earl Daniels on the mound, the Region 1-AAAAA leading Valdosta baseball team did not expect to need a lot runs when it met Colquitt County on Tuesday at Ike Aultman Field at Packer Park.

But the Wildcats gave the region’s most effective pitcher 18 runs as Valdosta defeated the Packers 18-0 in a three-inning, mercy-rule victory.

Valdosta raised its record to 16-3 overall and 7-1 in the region and the Packers suffered one of their ugliest losses in recent memory.

Daniels, a senior headed for the University of Georgia, was as dominant as advertised and raised his record to 7-0.

All nine outs he recorded were on strikeouts and he still has yet to surrender an earned run this season.

In 42 innings of work, the right-hander has now struck out 92 batters.

The Packers threatened briefly in the second inning when John Michael Harrison walked and went to third on a single by Scotty Green, the Packers only hit.

But Daniels then fanned Andrew McDowell to end the inning.

Blake Cato coaxed another walk from Daniels with one out in the third inning, but was stranded.

And the way the Wildcats were cuffing three Colquitt County pitchers, a run or two would not have mattered.

Harrison started the game on the mound and walked the first three batters, throwing 12 straight balls after getting a strike past Taylor Prain on the game’s first pitch.

Corey Hancock came in and hit Galen Smith with his first pitch and the rout was on.

Valdosta scored four runs in the first first, five in the second and nine in the third before Daniels ended the game in the bottom of the third.

In the top of the third, the Wildcats sent 14 batters to the plate and got 10 hits before Clark Coleman relieved Austin McAlpin and struck out pinch hitter Herb Reinhard to end the inning.

The Wildcats had 14 hits, including two doubles by Chad Prain and one by Thomas Lovett.

Smith, Taylor Prain and Chad Prain led the Valdosta hit parade with three hits

Lovett had two hits and Wesley Welch, Stuart Brooks and Kyle Rowe had the others.

Smith, the Wildcats catcher, drove in five runs. Chad Prain drove in four.

The Wildcats will play Leon tonight and be back at Bazemore Field on Friday to play host to Houston County in their next region game.

The Packers fall to 8-10 overall and are now 2-6 in the region.

Colquitt will play host to Lee County at 5:55 p.m. today in a non-region game.

On Friday, Warner Robins will be at Ike Aultman Field for a 7 p.m. region game.

In the other two Region 1-AAAAA games on Tuesday, Coffee defeated Lowndes 8-3 and Warner Robins won over Houston County 10-5.