Moore throws no-hitter, Pack splits at Valdosta

Published 10:41 pm Friday, March 31, 2023

MOULTRIE – Colquitt County got a no-hitter from Mason Moore to win the first game of its Region 1-7A doubleheader at Valdosta on Friday 3-0, but dropped the nightcap 3-2.

Along with Tuesday’s 4-1 victory, the Packers took the three-game series with the Wildcats and are now 10-11 overall and 4-5 in the region.

After salvaging the third game against the Packers, Valdosta is 13-8 overall and 4-2 in the region.

Lowndes, which did not play a region series this week, still sits atop the region with a 6-0 record.

The Packers do not have any region games next week and will conclude region play with a three-game series with Richmond Hill starting with a road game on April 11.

Colquitt’s region schedule will finish with a home doubleheader against Richmond Hill on Friday, April 14.

The Packers are still trying to finish first or second in the region and earn a first-round state playoff series.

Last week, Lowndes scored 33 runs in a three-game sweep of Colquitt County.

But in the first game on Friday, Moore made sure Valdosta had no runs – and no hits – in the Packers’ victory over the Wildcats.

The no-hitter is the first for Colquitt County since Ethan Phillips held McEachern hitless in a 6-0 victory in Game 2 of a first-round doubleheader in the 2017 state playoffs.

Like Moore, Phillips was a junior when he threw his no-hitter.

Moore walked five batters, including two in the bottom of the seventh when Valdosta brought the potential game-tying run to the plate.

But the left-hander struck out the final two Wildcats to complete the rare no-hitter.

Colquitt County got what proved to be the only run it would need in the first inning when Neko Fann opened the game with a single and scored on a Cam Cook base hit.

The Packers’ lead remained one run until Cook’s two-out double in the top of the seventh  drove in a pair of runs to give the Packers some insurance.

It was insurance that Colquitt would not need.

The Packers had six hits and Cook had three of them and drove in all three Colquitt County runs.

Fann had two singles and Jake Walker added a double.

Valdosta scored first in the second game when Cohen Smith stroked a two-run single in the bottom of the third off Packers starter Christian Hill.

The 2-0 Valdosta lead stood until the top of the sixth when the Packers tied the game.

After Fann and Landon Griffin walked to open the inning, Moore sacrificed the runners to second and third and Cook singled to drive in both runners.

Cook finished the doubleheader by driving in all five Colquitt County runs.

The tie did not survive the bottom of the inning, however.

Valdosta’s Isaiah Haygood opened the sixth with a single and stole second.

He scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice by Colson Moody.

Smith, the Valdosta starter, set the Packers down in order in the top of the seventh to close out the win.

The Wildcats earned the split despite having just two hits in the two games.

Hill was the tough-luck losing pitcher in the second game.

He gave up all three runs, only two of which were earned, and the singles to Haygood and Smith.

Hill walked four and struck out eight.

The Packers managed just three hits, singles by Fann, Cook and Adam Beverly.

Colquitt will be back on Ike Aultman Field at Jerry Croft Stadium to play Thomas County Central at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 5.

Calhoun High will visit on Thursday, April 6. First pitch will be at 4 p.m.

The Packers will travel to Douglas to meet Coffee High at 6 p.m. Friday and will close out the non-region part of its schedule when they play the fourth day in a row, a home game against Lincoln High starting at noon on Saturday, April 8.