MOULTRIE – The Colquitt County baseball team exploded for a season-high 16 runs and 16 hits to defeat Richmond Hill on the road on Tuesday.
The victory raises the Packers Region 1-6A record to 9-4 with a crucial doubleheader against the Wildcats set for 4:30 p.m. Friday at Packer Park.
The Packers will claim second place in the region and get a first-round state tournament playoff series at home if they can complete the sweep of the Wildcats.
Colquitt and Richmond Hill entered the game 8-4 and tied for second place in the region.
Lowndes solidified its hold on first place in the region by defeating Valdosta 4-3 on Tuesday.
The game was scoreless after seven innings before the Vikings scored four in the top of the eighth.
Valdosta scored three runs in the bottom of the inning and had the tying run on third when the final out was recorded.
At Richmond Hill, the Packers had 3-2 and 5-2 leads early when the Wildcats scored four runs in the bottom of the third to go up 6-5.
But Colquitt, which had lost its last two games and are still grieving following the tragic death of former teammate Garron Wingate, scored six times in the top of the fourth.
The big inning gave the Packers an 11-6 lead and appeared to set the Wildcats back on their heels.
Richmond Hill scored just two more runs over the final four innings while the Packers added two more in the sixth and three more in the seventh.
In addition to the 16 hits, which included five doubles, the Packers took advantage of six Richmond Hill errors.
The Packers pounded Wildcats starter Noah Stone for nine runs and nine hits over the first 3.1 innings.
Richmond Hill sent out four pitchers to try to slow the Packers. Each gave up at least two runs.
Bowen DeRosso got the Packers started in the second inning with a leadoff double.
Tyson Samples, his courtesy runner, then scored the first Colquitt County run on a single by Jake Walker.
Carter Summerlin followed with a double to left, sending Walker to third.
Carter Penuel’s base hit drove in Walker and sent Summerlin to third.
A wild pitch scored Summerlin to put the Packers up 3-2.
Adam Beverly led off the third with a base hit and Bryce Roberts walked.
Bowen DeRosso’s sacrifice moved the runners up 90 feet.
One out later, Summerlin reached on a Wildcat error that allowed Beverly and Roberts to score and put the Packers up 5-2.
If the Packers were rattled when the Wildcats scored four times in the bottom of the third to regain the lead at 6-5, they didn’t show it.
Rylan Howell started the six-run rally with a hit and one out later, Brady DeRosso got a bunt single.
Beverly then ripped the second of his three hits to load the bases.
A Roberts single tied the game and the Packers got the go-ahead run when Bowen DeRosso was hit by a pitch.
After Walker flied out, Summerlin singled to right to put the Packers up 9-6.
The final two runs in the inning scored on Richmond Hill errors.
Colquitt extended the lead to 13-6 with a pair of runs in the top of sixth, which opened with a Bowen DeRosso double.
One run scored on an error and Hayden Hembree singled to drive in Walker with the final run of the inning.
Up 13-8, the Packers were not finished in the top of the seventh.
Brady DeRosso opened the inning with a double and scored on a two-base hit by Beverly.
Roberts singled to left to score Beverly to make it 15-8.
The final run scored on a sacrifice fly by Walker.
Beverly’s three hits led the onslaught.
Hembree, both DeRossos, Roberts and Summerlin each had two hits.
Walker, Penuel and Howell each contributed one hit.
Roberts, Walker and Summerlin each contributed two RBIs.