Tyler Holmes backs up an inside pitch in the 7th inning. Holmes later laid down a two-strike sac bunt to move over a pair of baserunners.

TIFTON — Both Tift County and Valdosta will be able to claim momentum after a baseball scrimmage Monday, Feb. 6. When the 7th inning finished up, each team had 5 runs on the scoreboard.

No extra innings were played. The teams now shift into the regular season, Tift going to Camden County Feb. 11 (bumped up a day because of potential rain) and Valdosta traveling to Locust Grove. The Blue Devils are set to play for keeps at Valdosta Feb. 14.

“This is what a scrimmage is for, to find out a little bit about yourself,” said Tift head coach Greg Williams. He was happy that nearly all of his roster saw the field.

Opening games, even scrimmages, can bring challenges.

Tift’s lineup is mostly experienced, but still young with only one senior. Williams’ scrimmage lineup included a freshman pitcher and a catcher who had never seen game action at the position.

“Lot of butterflies,” Williams said. “It’s good to get them out.”

Neither team scored until Tift posted three runs in the bottom of the 4th. Valdosta responded in kind in the top of the 5th. The Wildcats scored twice in the 6th before the Devils came back with a tying two tallies in the 7th.

Williams used seven pitchers, averaging one per inning. Six of them recorded strikeouts, beginning with the two John Davis fanned in the opening frame.

Ryan Whitley, John Dorman, Landon Parrish, Tyler VanSumeren, Luke Ellerbee and Will Pridgen were the others to take the hill.

Dorman took a grounder off his leg in the 3rd. Though he stayed in to get the third out, he was soon replaced in the batting order by Walker Lasseter.

“We have to find out,” said Williams. “Down the road, see who can do it.”

Valdosta’s starter was Isaiah Haygood, who pitched three innings.

Parrish hit an infield single in the 2nd for Tift’s first hit. Cam Smith also rapped a single in the inning. That came to nought, but a hit-free 3rd provided the initial damage.

Tyler Holmes, Lasseter and Brady Moretz worked consecutive walks to open the frame. The bases were loaded, but not for long as Holmes scored on a passed ball, jumping over a tag attempt at the plate.

Lasseter made it 2-0 when a throw to the plate on a soft infield grounder off the bat of Smith missed its mark. Later, after Ellerbee walked with two outs, VanSumeren earned an RBI when he was hit by a pitch, scoring Moretz.

A single and two walks came home to roost for the Wildcats in the 3rd, tying the game at 3-all.

The Wildcats scored on a wild pitch and RBI squeeze bunt single in the 6th. That’s where the score stayed until the Blue Devils rallied in the 7th.

VanSumeren led off with a walk, followed by a single to left by Davis. Holmes laid down a two-strike sac bunt to move both into scoring position with one out.

Drew Hembree barely missed a two-run double, but it was called foul. During his at-bat VanSumeren scored on a wild pitch. Hembree ultimately reached.

Moretz boomed a double, driving in Davis, but Hembree was tagged out at the plate trying to score the winning run. Valdosta recorded its third out, leaving the game tied.

Though only one Tift run was directly scored on a base hit RBI, Williams said they hit the ball hard all night.