KINGSLAND – Facing the quality arms of the Camden County High baseball team on the road, Colquitt County High coach Tony Kirkland felt the Packers should have made the long trip home with two – not one – Region 1-7A wins.

But a split it was Friday, the home Wildcats winning in Game 1 5-4 in 8 innings, but then Colquitt blanking Camden in Game 2 2-0.

The Packers out-hit Camden in both games, and in the opener Colquitt owned the biggest lead, 3-1, after four innings. Kirkland’s group had to rally, though, in the top of the seventh to tie it.

Tanner Wilson and Jay Saunders each had two hits, and Saunders, Logan Wheeler and Gavin Patel each batted home a run.

Camden was coming off two shutout wins at Tift County.

Wildcat Ian Smith struck out eight in six innings of Game 1. Wheeler Hunnicutt pitched 4 1/3 and Patel three for Colquitt.

“We had a couple of mistakes,” said Kirkland. “We could not put them away. Hunnicutt pitched way better than what he got. We put some pressure on them (almost every inning), 2nd and 3rd, 1st and 3rd, but could not get a big hit.”

Ethan Phillips and John Samuel Shenker combined for 10 strikeouts in Game 2, where the Wildcats had just one hit and committed five errors. Austin Singletary went 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI.

Camden’s Aaron Wainright allowed one run in five innings.

Kirkland said Saunders was “masterful” at catcher, even continuing to play when taking a spike that required stitches afterwards.