Diamond Pack rallies in last at bat to beat Cairo

Published 11:35 pm Wednesday, February 21, 2024

MOULTRIE – Mason Moore had hit two triples in a game two years ago against Tift County, but he hit three against Cairo on Wednesday at Packer Park, including the last one that drove in the winning runs in a 6-4 victory over the Syrupmakers.

A night after the Packers dropped a 4-2 decision to Coffee High in Douglas, the Packers right-fielder said the comeback win over the Syrupmakers a significant one.

“I feel like we really needed this one,” Moore said after the Packers raised their record to 4-2. “We’ve got two good teams coming in here Friday and Saturday so this was a big win for us.”

The Packers trailed the Syrupmakers 4-3 when Tyson Hobby led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to right off Cairo relief pitcher Cannon Maige.

It appeared the Packers wasted the leadoff hit when Maige struck out the next two batters.

But Hayden Hembree kept the inning alive by drawing a walk.

That brought to the plate freshman second baseman Bryce Roberts, who waited until the sixth pitch he saw from Maige to rip a single to right to score Hobby with the the tying run.

Moore followed with his third fly ball over the head of Syrupmaker center fielder Elijah Anderson.

By the time Cairo got the ball back to the infield, two runs had crossed the plate, the Packers had their first lead since the first inning and Moore was ensconced on third for the third time.

Logan Plymel, who pitched the final two innings, got his first win of the season by striking out the final two Syrupmakers he faced in the seventh after hitting one batter with a pitch and walking another.

The Packers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first after  Moore smacked his first triple and Cam Cook followed with the first of his three doubles.

Cook scored the second run of the inning when Maige, then playing shortstop, could not make the play on an Adam Beverly grounder.

But Cairo scored three runs in an odd top of the second.

Jaxon Cox led off the inning with an infield hit off Colquitt starter Garron Wingate.

One out later, after Cox had stolen second, Jacob Pyles hit a comebacker to Wingate, who thought briefly about getting the sure out at first before throwing to third too late to get a sliding Cox.

Wingate then walked Anderson, but struck out Eli Cooper and was one out away from escaping the inning unscathed.

But Gage Schafer hit an 0-2 pitch for a single to right to score Cox and Pyles to tie the game.

Anderson scored two batters later when Kale Bearden walked with the bases loaded and Cairo led 3-2.

The Syrupmakers scored a run in the top of the fifth when Pyles singled Cox home to extend the lead to 4-2.

With one out in the bottom of fifth, Moore got his second triple of the game and Cook again drove him home with a double to cut the Cairo advantage to one run.

After Jaxon Chambers flied out, Beverly hit a ground ball close to third base that Bearden misplayed.

But instead of Beverly reaching first, he was called back to the plate after the home plate umpire ruled that the ball was foul.

The call incensed Packers coach Brandon Brock, who protested vehemently with the home plate umpire before being ordered back to the dugout.

Some fans thought the Packers coach had been ejected, but Brock said after the game that he had not.

Although Beverly ultimately struck out to end the inning, Brock’s set-to with the umpire appeared to inspire the Packers in the sixth.

“I didn’t go out there to charge them up,” Brock said. “But they needed it. It turned out to be the perfect time.”

And while it was Moore’s triple that drove in what proved to be the winning run, both he and Brock were impressed with the Roberts at bat.

“People see him as a freshman, but we just see him as family,” Moore said. “He’s one of us.

“And he’s out there for a reason. He’s not scared.”

Roberts has taken over the leadoff spot in the batting order that was held last year by the team’s leading hitter, Neko Fann.

“They are a lot alike,” Brock said comparing Roberts with Fann. “Their demeanors are the same. They are both unflappable, even-keeled.”

The top three hitters in the Packers lineup – Roberts, Moore and Cook – went a combined 7-for-10 with three triples, three doubles, two walks and five runs batted in.

Moore is now 9-for-18 with three triples, a home run and five RBIs over Colquitt County’s first six games.

Cook is 10-for-22 with six doubles and six runs batted in.

Wingate was charged with the first three Cairo runs while facing 14 batters over the first two innings. He did strike out four.

Cook Tompkins went the next three innings and allowed the final run in the fifth. He struck out six.

Plymel gave up no runs, one infield hit, a walk and a hit batsman over the final two innings. He fanned four.

The sophomore right-hander has not allowed a run over 5.1 innings so far this season.

The three Colquitt pitchers combined to strike out 14 Syrupmakers.

As part of the annual Georgia/Florida Challenge, the Packers will play host at Packer Park to Creekside High of St. Johns, Fla., at 6:30 p.m. Friday and face St. John Neumann of Naples, Fla., at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Also before the Colquitt County-Creekside game  on Friday, Mater Academy High School will play Ponte Vedra High at 3:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Pace High will meet Ponte Vedra High at 10 a.m. before the 12:30 p.m. Colquitt County-St. John Neumann game.