MOULTRIE – With Trace Eakins going the distance and J.T. Whatley as steady at third base as he was at the plate, Colquitt County High claimed Game 1 of Friday’s big Region 1-7A doubleheader on Ike Aultman Field at Jerry Croft Stadium. Eakins scattered six hits, struck out three and got two double plays in an error-less defensive game by the Packers, the final score 8-0.

The two teams entered the day tied for second in the region, but Colquitt slipped ahead by one game at 5-4. It also gave them a 2-1 edge in the 2019 season series with the Wildcats from southeast Georgia.

As in control as the senior Eakins was going the distance, his opening frame was anything but. Camden’s Tim Parker, Luke Parker and Corey Dowdell all singled in consecutive at-bats. None of them scored, however, thanks to Whatley. He first got the easy force-out throw to catcher Callon Kubiak at home, then snagged Jamie Felix’s line drive and beat Tim Parker back to third base for the inning-ending twin-killing.

Whatley had six assists in Game 1 and three putouts. At shortstop, the freshman Cannon Whatley had four assists, one on a double play that ended Camden’s top of the third.

At the dish, JT Whatley drove in two runs. First baseman Henry Daniels batted home three, two on the home run that was the first by a Packer at Jerry Croft Stadium since April of 2016.

In contrast to that home run, Daniels drove in the first Colquitt run on a infield bloop the Camden second baseman could not get to. That was with two outs in the bottom of the second and was the third hit of the inning off Wildcat left-hander Chris Mobley.

Colquitt added two in the home third, JT Whatley ripping an RBI double on a 3-2 pitch.

In the fourth, it was the Packers scoring three times with a two-run double down the third-base line by Cannon Whatley. That got Mobley out of the game, and JT Whatley, and Cannon moved to third on a wild pitch (one of four by Camden) and scored on JT’s fly ball.

Daniels’ home run to deep right came with two outs in the fifth. Lucas Tostenson was on base via a leadoff single.

After Camden’s three-hit, no-run first inning, Eakins faced little trouble. He hit one batter and walked one in the top of the fourth, but they were left in scoring position thanks to a Daniels scoop at first base.