Moore hits grand slam as Panthers run-rule Deerfield-Windsor

Published 11:00 pm Tuesday, March 1, 2022

CHULA – Deerfield-Windsor pulled to a 6-6 tie with the Tiftarea Academy Panthers in the top of the sixth inning Tuesday. However, there was no traumatic seventh inning. No need for a closer, no need for nail-biting, no dramatic last stand by either team.

That’s because Tiftarea walked it off in the bottom of the sixth on the run-rule, 17-6.

Head coach Dusty Griffis could not fully voice what the total cause of the switch was, but it was a big one.

“Deerfield’s a good team,” he said. He mentioned Tiftarea’s pitching, both starter Logan Moore and reliever Robert Garner. Garner threw the fifth and sixth innings.

On the hitting side, 14 men stood at the plate during the bottom of the sixth. Eleven of them scored and a 12th picked up an RBI on his out.

Miscues started Deerfield-Windsor’s problems, an error that allowed John Jackson to reach, a hit by pitch on Hershel Moore, another error when Lane Cole attempted a sacrifice bunt. That error gave Tiftarea two runs.

Wesley Malone put the Panthers up 9-6 on a sac fly to right, bringing in Cole. Matthew Malone reached on an error, then the bases loaded after walks to Jam Presley and Hayden Murphy.

The bases were loaded for Logan Moore when Deerfield brought in a new pitcher. They did not stay loaded long.

Moore crushed a pitch well over the right field wall, one that cleared the Tiftarea middle school locker room and appeared to land on the gravel path between fields.

“He hit that,” said Griffis, emphasizing “hit.”

At 13-6, the lead was more than secure, but the onslaught was not finished yet.

Jackson doubled, then scored when Hershel Moore reached on an error. Cole singled, bringing home William Garner, running for Moore.

Wesley Malone was bonked by a pitch, bringing up Matthew Malone, who finished the game with a double to center, knocking in both runners and finally ending the game.

The rest of the contest, save for Tiftarea’s five-run second, was much calmer. It was even a pitching duel at times.

Deerfield-Windsor scored a single run in the first, courtesy of Garrett Watson’s double and a single by Will Plowden.

Tiftarea evened it in the second, completely via two-out magic. Charlie Willcox struck out his first two men in the frame, but walked Jackson.

A wild pitch later, Hershel Moore singled in Jackson, then Cole followed with a hit. Wesley Malone drove in Garner, running for Moore. Two runs scored on an error off Matthew Malone’s bat before Presley’s single made it a 5-1 score.

The Knights chipped their way back in, with single runs in the fourth and fifth. Tiftarea responded to the fifth inning tally with one of their own, Logan Moore doubling in Presley.

Watson, Willcox and Davis Coleman scored in the sixth to tie.

Had it not been for excellent defense, the Knights might have told a different story.

Logan Moore pitched out of runners at second and third with no outs in the third. He struck out two before a grounder ended the threat.

“Logan did an excellent job on the mound,” he said. Griffis described Tiftarea as playing defensively more “damage control” Tuesday, doing what they could to prevent big innings. “[Deerfield] had a lot of innings with runners in scoring position.”

“Our pitchers pitched out of a lot of jams tonight.”

Matthew Malone threw out two runners trying to score from his centerfield post, one in the second and for a crucial second out in the sixth.

The Panthers are hoping Deerfield-Windsor is yet another help to their upcoming Region 3-AAA slate, which starts this month.

“We’ve been able to play a tough schedule,” Griffis said. He pointed to Clinch County winning over Valwood. “Deerfield’s good, Turner was 3-0.”

Ola, a 5A team from McDonough, will be in Friday, a day before they play in a series at Tift County.