MOULTRIE – The Colquitt County baseball team got behind early in each game and dropped a pair of non-Region 1-6A games to two swarms of Yellow Jackets on Saturday in Hazlehurst.
The Packers lost to Wayne County’s Yellow Jackets 5-3 and to Jeff Davis’ Yellow Jackets 4-3.
Both teams are coming off outstanding 2023 seasons.
Wayne County was 28-8 last year. Jeff Davis was 23-9. Both reached the state quarterfinals.
Wayne County jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning of Saturday’s first game, but the Packers got three in the bottom of the third to take their only lead of the day.
Brady DeRosso opened the inning with a single and scored on a double by Bryce Roberts.
After moving to third on a wild pitch, Roberts scored on a sacrifice fly by Bowen DeRosso.
Jaxon Chambers then drew a two-out walk and scored on a Tyson Hobby double.
But that was all the offense the Packers could muster against Wayne County, which scored three runs in the top of the third and held on for the 5-3 win.
Roberts had two of the Packers seven hits.
Chambers, Hobby, Brady DeRosso, Adam Beverly and Jake Walker had the others.
Cook Tompkins pitched the first four innings and gave up two hits and two runs. He walked three and struck out five.
Ethan Allegood worked .2 innings and gave up one hit and three runs, only one of which was earned. He walked one and struck out two.
Cole Holder went the final 2.1 innings and did not give up a run, allowing just one hit while striking out three.
The Colquitt County pitchers combined to strike out 10 Wayne County batters.
In Saturday’s second game, Jeff Davis scored three runs off Chambers in the bottom of the first and held on for the 4-3 win.
The Packers rallied to pull to within one in the top of the sixth on a two-run double by Bowen DeRosso.
Roberts, representing the potential tying run, was thrown out at the plate trying to score on DeRosso’s hit.
Jeff Davis added another run in the bottom of the sixth off Roberts, who was pitching in relief of Chambers.
With the Packers down two runs, Rylan Howell led off the top of the seventh with a base hit.
Walker, the next batter, doubled to pull the Packers to within a run.
But reliever Andrew White struck out the next three Packers to close out the Jeff Davis win.
Howell and Walker each had two of the Packers six hits.
Hayden Hembree and Bowen DeRosso had the others.
Chambers worked the first 3.2 innings and gave up three runs while striking out three.
Roberts pitched the final 2.1, giving up an unearned run and striking out two.
The Packers, now 0-3, will seek their first win of the season on Tuesday, February 18, when they travel to Adel to meet Cook High.
The Hornets are 3-0 with victories over Brooks County, Brantley County and Jackson.
Also on Saturday in Hazlehurst, the Colquitt County middle school teams dropped a pair of games to Jeff Davis.
The A-team game was tied 7-7 when Jeff Davis scored 11 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and took an 18-7 win.
Colquitt had base hits from Noah Burkett, Jackson Lasseter, Jaden Chambers, Drake Saunders, Grayson White, Parker Bennett and Cole Stanford.
The middle school A-team is now 2-5 as it prepares to travel to Tift County on Thursday, February 20.
The middle school B-team fell behind 4-2 in the first inning and lost 6-2.
Jaxon Rowell led Colquitt County with two hits.
Gage Griffin, Drake Saunders and John Tyler Southwell each had one hit.
Brayden Eubanks and Jett Browning did the pitching.
The B-team, now 3-4, will be at Packer Park to face Cook at 4 p.m on Wednesday, February 19.