Mason Avant pitches in the second game Friday.

TIFTON – Lowndes High added two more victories to their win column Friday, sweeping the Tift County Blue Devils in Region 1 baseball action.

Lowndes was lights out on both sides of the ball, winning 9-0 and 3-0.

“We’re going to keep fighting,” said Tift head coach Kyle Kirk after the games.

The latter game was a stalemate through five innings, the tide turning on a balk call with two outs in the sixth.

Tyler Andrews began the frame with a double, then survived a rundown attempt on a tapper by Dalton Smith to put runners and first and second. Palmer Henderson joined them on the basepaths when he was hit by a pitch.

Faced with bases loaded and no outs, Mason Avant nearly survived unscathed. He struck out the next man and though Lowndes hit a fly to right field, a strong throw by Keshaun Mays to the plate meant that Andrews held at third base.

But with Cameron Carter at bat, the balk was called, scoring Andrews and bringing Kirk out of the dugout to protest. The call stood and Carter followed by rapping a single, driving in two runs.

Carter, who threw a complete game in the nightcap, escaped his own tight situations.

Mays led off the game with a double and Carter stranded him at third base after getting a fly to left.

The fifth was even more stressful for Carter.

Jack Lambert walked and Owen Manning singled before Trey Barfield was hit by a pitch with one out. Consecutive strikeouts allowed the Vikings to preserve the shutout.

Avant struck out six in six innings of work. Anthony Brey fanned two more in an inning of relief. Mays, Avant and Manning all had hits.

Carter struck out eight hitters in his victory.

LOWNDES 9, TIFT 0

The Vikings began the doubleheader with a bang, with C.J. Rose hitting the second pitch of the game over the right field fence for a home run. Rose was particularly sweet during the opener, going 3-for-5 and scoring twice.

Wyatt Fender added Lowndes’ second run of the game, being driven in by Tyson Shaw’s single.

Barfield held the Vikings scoreless in the second and third, then the visitors went to work again.

Shaw, Brett Beals and Carter all scored during the fourth. Carter delivered an RBI single and Fender hit a sacrifice fly.

Rose doubled to start the six, touching home on a hit by Andrews.

Fender drove in the last three runs, doubling in Beals, Carter and Tyler Alonso with the bases loaded.

Fender, who had two hits and four RBI for the game, had an equally special night on the hill. He had 10 strikeouts in a complete game performance and almost picked up a no-hitter.

Mays hit a solid single past shortstop in the sixth to break up Fender’s no-hit bid. Blake Webb and Keenan Webb had both made it on base earlier when they were hit by pitches.

Tift will be at Thomas County Central Monday, at Veterans Tuesday and at Colquitt County Friday. Colquitt will be a doubleheader. The Devils won’t return home until April 6 against Camden County.