MOULTRIE – While it would be great to wonder if the ruling in the sixth inning could be an error, Lee County’s pinch-hitter in the seventh made it all moot with a clean two-out single. That was no doubt the hardest hit baseball by the Trojans on Tuesday, who were the latest victim of stand-out Colquitt County High pitching on Ike Aultman Field at Jerry Croft Stadium.

Cory Newsome, senior sidearmer, struck out 10 batters in what was a two-hit 4-0 shutout for the Packers against 2017’s Class 6A runners-up. It was Newsome’s second complete-game outing in a row, but that last one was a 3-2 loss at home last Friday vs. Russell County (Ala.).

Newsome was never under any pressure through five innings, then turned in the rare feat of recording four strikeouts in one inning, that being the sixth. In that inning, Lee County left the bases loaded.

No Packer outfielder had to make a play on a baseball until the seventh. That turn started with the game’s one-and-only fly-out by Lee.

As far as Trojan baserunners, Newsome worked a perfect top of the first (his only one without a whiff) then issued his one-and-only walk with two outs in the top of the second. In Lee’s half of the third – again with two down – Newsome hit a batter but proceeded to pick him off first base.

Both the fourth and fifth innings ended 1-2-3 for the visiting side with an 0-2 strikeout on the outside corner and full-count foul tip snagged by catcher Mack Crosby.

For run support, Colquitt County did something not often seen yet in the 2018 season. Tony Kirkland’s offense scored in its first at-bat with two hits. Shortstop Gavin Patel, on 3-2, banged a single to left and was moved over to second as Dylan Dalton did a ‘swinging bunt’ to third base. With two outs, Tanner Wilson grounded the ball deep to the third baseman, who was not going to retire Wilson on his throw. That throw, however, got away from the first baseman allowing Patel to score.

The Packer bats were silent against Matt Cooper for the next three innings with one Tucker Buckner hit. But in the home fifth Colquitt strung together three hits to push a second run across the plate.

Crosby led off with an infield hit, and Ethan Phillips singled the opposite way. With one out, Gavin Patel saw a ball up in his eyes and smashed it to right for his second single. Lee County had a chance for an inning-ending double play but did not complete it.

The resulting 2-0 lead was in jeopardy during that tense sixth inning as, with one out, No. 9 Trojan batter Will Lang dribbled the ball past the mound and towards Dalton – the second baseman – who was not able to field it cleanly. It could be argued that the no-hitter was off the books, but the shutout was of more concern to home fans as Newsome hit a batter for the second time and was charged with a balk. On the next pitch, with two in scoring position, Newsome earned a check-swing K.

The next batter also struck out, but Crosby could not handle the third strike. The priority was to keep the third-base runner where he was, so no play was made on the batter going to first. That filled all bags for Cooper, Lee County’s clean-up hitter. Cooper, however, struck out swinging on an outside pitch.

Colquitt’s bats made the bottom of the sixth rough on new Lee pitcher Logan Goff. Wilson walked and stole second base, and Tucker Hathcock served a single into center. Both were in scoring position with two outs when Crosby sent a fly ball into shallow right. It meant for a long run by the outfielder, and the baseball ricocheted off his glove. Colquitt went up 3-0, then 4-0 when Phillips poked his second hit the other way.

Today at Packer Park, Colquitt County baseball plays again with a 6 p.m. start vs. Jeff Davis, the team that won Class AA in 2017.