Bainbridge downs Tift 5-3

Published 9:30 pm Monday, April 9, 2018

TIFTON, Ga. — Tift County scored three runs in the sixth inning Monday, but couldn’t catch up with Bainbridge, falling 5-3.

The Blue Devils sent eight men to the plate in the sixth and had the go-ahead run at the plate when Bainbridge pitcher Nick Barber coaxed a grounder to end the frame.

Ben Brock singled and Thad Weldon walked to start the inning, Gauge Domingue coming in to courtesy run for Weldon. With one down, Will Weeks blasted a double that reached the left field wall, scoring both runners. Two were out when Ethan Rucker extended the inning with a walk.

Barber came in and immediately surrendered a single to Keshaun Mays that brought home Weeks. Unfortunately, Barber settled in to get the groundout, stranding both Rucker and Mays.

Baserunners were a constant during the chilly Monday, neither team recording a 1-2-3 inning.

The Bearcats scored two in the second inning. Dalton Harrell and Walt Burrell both singled and an error put Kalem Varnum on to load the bases. Ivan Velaquez grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice. He was followed by Michael Conder, whose single scored Burrell for the second run.

Velaquez singled in Caleb Boutwell in the fifth. Boutwell was hit by a pitch to start the inning and moved up on a walk and a fielder’s choice.

In the sixth, it was a wild pitch that scored Griffin Long and a single by Harrell that drove in Will Kelley, extending the margin to 5-0.

Mays got into scoring position in the first inning on a stolen base. Weeks and Trey Barfield had back-to-back two-out singles in the second.

Tift’s best scoring chance in the early innings came in the third when Mays started with an infield single. With no outs, he stole second and went to third on a wild pitch.

Kelley, Bainbridge’s starting pitcher, struck out the next two Tift hitters, then got an infield pop-out to prevent any damage.

The Devils also had Jack Lambert at third in the fourth. He singled, stole second and kept running to third when the throw went into the outfield.

Mays started on the hill for Tift and pitched 5 1-3 innings, striking out five. Cory Frazier and Anthony Brey also got in some pitching work.

Mays had a good night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases. Weeks recorded two hits, drove in two runs and scored once.

Tift is scheduled to host Thomas County Central Tuesday for Senior Night. Blake Webb, Keenan Webb, Lambert, Rucker and Mays will all be honored. First pitch is to be at 5:30 p.m.