MOULTRIE – The Colquitt County baseball team, in its first games since the tragic death of former teammate Garron Wingate, dropped a pair of non-Region 1-6A games on Thursday and Friday.
The Packers did not play a pair of spring break games scheduled in Jacksonville, Fla., to attend the visitation and celebration of life for Wingate, who died in an accidental shooting on March 28 in Statesboro.
But the team agreed to make the trips to Gainesville to play the Bobcats, who are ranked No. 10 in the nation and No. 5 in Florida according to MaxPreps, and to Leesburg to face the Trojans.
Buccholz, now 21-0, also defeated the Packers 5-3 in eight innings on March 1 at Packer Park.
The Bobcats scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning and cruised from there.
Colquitt, which had won four of its five previous games, scored its first run on Thursday in the top of the second on a single by Carter Summerlin.
After Buchholz matched the run in the bottom of the second, the Packers scored twice in the top of the third.
Adam Beverly reached on a two-out single, Bryce Roberts followed with another base hit and Bowen DeRosso walked to load the bases.
Jake Walker then singled to right to drive in Beverly and Roberts and pull the Packers to within two runs at 5-3.
The Bobcats scored two more in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Walker led the Packers with a pair of singles.
Beverly, Roberts, Summerlin and Hayden Hembree also had base hits.
Ross Sparkman, Ethan Allegood, Judson Taylor and Cole Holder combined to throw three innings of scoreless relief for the Packers.
On Friday, Colquitt was shut out by Lee County 10-0.
The Trojans, now 18-5, used a seven-run third inning to put the Packers away.
Colquitt used four pitchers, who combined to give up eight hits and issue eight walks.
Roberts and Rylan Howell had the Packers only two hits.
Now 11-12 overall, the Packers will begin their final region series on Tuesday at Richmond Hill.
The Packers and Wildcats will close out the region part of their schedules with a 4:30 p.m. Friday doubleheader at Packer Park.
Colquitt and Richmond Hill are currently tied for second place in the region with 8-4 records.
Lowndes leads the region with a 10-2 record. Tift County is fourth at 7-5.
Valdosta, 3-9, and Camden County, 0-12, are out of the playoff picture.
The top four qualify for the playoffs, which start April 23-24, at the home of the higher-seeded team.
Lowndes and Valdosta will play their final region series beginning on Tuesday in Valdosta.
Tift County will play host to Camden County on Tuesday to start their final series.