Smith singles in winning run for Tift in scrimmage
Published 11:00 pm Friday, February 11, 2022
- It may seem impossible to tell who the tagger and the tag-ee are here, but the former distinction belongs to Tift shortstop Brady Moretz, who ends a long rundown by tagging Schley County's Carson Westbrook. John Dorman caught Westbrook wandering too far off first, resulting in both Westbrook and Moretz getting a taste of dirt.
TIFTON – If the rest of Tift County’s baseball games go like their scrimmage, Blue Devils fans are in for an exciting season.
The Devils walked off the scrimmage against Schley County with a 5-4 victory, leading Greg Williams’ charges into their opener next Tuesday at home against Fitzgerald.
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“I’ll take it,” said Williams.
Tift led most of the way Friday, 2-0 then 3-0, before Schley rallied for four runs in the top off of the 6th inning. The locals were still down 4-3 when they came up to hit for the top of the 7th.
Bailey Booth immediately reached base, where Luke Ellerbee came in as his courtesy runner. An error put Landon Parrish aboard and when Tyler Holmes earned a walk, the Blue Devils were more than in business with the bases loaded and no outs.
With Gavin Starling at the plate, Schley uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Ellerbee to trot in and tie the game.
Starling worked the count full, then earned himself a free pass, re-loading the bags.
Cam Smith stepped up to the dish, then stepped up further. Smith hit a slow infield roller, even with an infield playing in. Schley fired a throw to home, but it was too late and Parrish scored the winning run.
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Fortune was in Tift’s corner most of the way, including the first several innings.
The Wildcats’ first two men reached base against starter John Dorman, but neither made it to second. Dorman caught the first one wandering too far off the base, leading to a long rundown and tag by Brady Moretz. Booth threw from his knees to catch the next man attempting to steal second.
After Dorman finished retiring the side, Tift came out with hot bats.
John Davis led off with a double to left, followed by a bunt single by Moretz. Dorman drove in Davis with a groundout to shortstop and Cody Williamson did the same for Moretz with a grounder to second for a quick 2-0 advantage.
Booth and Parrish each reached in the second – Parrish on a single – but Schley’s Owen Lamb was able to pitch around both for no runs.
Tift added to its lead with a single run in the third. Davis got it rolling with a walk and steal before Dorman singled him in with one out.
The 3-0 lead held until the 6th. Dorman pitched two scoreless frames, then gave way for Conner VanSumeren, who pitched two more. Starling threw a 1-2-3 5th, but ran into trouble in the 6th.
“We were clean on the freebie chart, except for bases on balls,” said Williams. Tift played error-free.
Carson Westbrook started the rally with a one-out hit, then was joined on the basepaths by Brody Fuller and Lamb, both of whom earned walks.
Jack Clark provided the first two Wildcats runs with a single, then Owen Shufflebarger squared the score with a squeeze bunt. Lamb put Schley ahead as he scored on a double by Wesley Hughes.
Momentum seemed to have rolled the way of Schley after a pair of outstanding catches in the bottom of the 6th, but there was still an inning to go.
Moretz struck out two in the top of the 7th to set up Tift’s comeback.
No one had a multi-hit night, but Davis reached base twice and scored two runs. Tift stole four bases. Williams promises they are going to be a running team this season.
Blue Devils pitchers combined to strike out 10 Schley players, VanSumeren leading the way with 4.
