MOULTRIE – At times, taking one on the proverbial chin in a non-region baseball game isn’t such a bad thing for this Colquitt County High baseball club.

Take last week. Riding on the heels of a run-rule loss at home to Thomas County Central, the Packers of head coach Tony Kirkland gave 1-7A leading Lowndes High all it could ask for in competition that counted towards the region standings. The result was a split doubleheader that kept Colquitt within two games of the region leading Vikings.

Now, the Packers are eyeing another big two-games-in-one-day setting at home Friday vs. Camden County. The two teams are tied for second place at 4-4 and split the first two head-to-head contests held last month in Kingsland.

This will come two days after Wednesday’s 11-1 five-inning loss to Bainbridge High on Senior Night at Ike Aultman Field at Jerry Croft Stadium.

Kirkland got most of his seniors into the action save pitcher Trace Eakins, who has started Game 1 of the recent region doubleheaders. Other members of the class are the Bledsoe brothers Alex and Reese, Turner Sircy, Chance Sealy, McKenzie Powell, Tucker Hathcock and Eli Faison.

Bainbridge batted around in both the first and second innings, scoring four runs each time. The first inning was highlighted by Ivan Velasquez’ three-run home run, one of six hits in the Bearcat turn.

Three Packers pitched in the top of the second that was more about a leadoff error and three walks. Out of the two hits, Kaleb Varnum singled home two runs with two outs.

Colquitt County bats only had three hits, and those were all in the home second while trailing 8-0. Henry Daniels’ base hit brought home the only run with two outs.

Caleb Sconyers went the full five innings pitching for the Bearcats. He walked three and struck out three.