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AMERICUS – It has been a long and difficult year for the Sumter County High School Baseball Team. The Panthers are currently on an 11-game losing streak, having suffered their 11th straight defeat against Worth County by the score of 14-4 on Wednesday, March 29, at Thomas Bell stadium.

SCHS is now 3-12-1 on the season and 0-10 in Region 1-AA play.
The Panthers made mistakes early in the first inning with wild pitches, passed balls and walks and it led to three runs for the Rams. Things then snowballed for the Panthers, as the Rams scored five more runs in the top of the second inning on three hits, including a three-run home run by Chip Cooper. The Rams were able to take advantage of two errors and two hit batsmen in this inning as well.

Then in the top of the third inning, the Rams added three more runs on three hits, including an RBI triple by Coy Etheredge. Once again, however, WCH took advantage of two errors that proved costly for the Panthers.

SCHS finally came alive in the bottom of the fourth by scoring three runs on two hits and taking advantage of three walks. Jacorey Wise led off the frame with a single and Justin Jones would later drive in Wise on an RBI single to give SCHS its first run of the game. Koby Robinson, who reached base via a walk earlier, scored by stealing home and Jones would later score on a wild pitch. At this point, the Panthers trailed the Rams 11-3.

However, WCH responded with three more runs in the top of the fifth by taking advantage of three SCHS errors and getting a double from Owen Hancock. The Panthers were able to respond with a run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single from Jones, but that would be all they could muster, as the Rams would go on to win 14-4.

“Early in the game, we dug ourselves a hole,” SCHS Head Coach Lee Wright said. “We made it hard for ourselves, but then, guess what: We showed some fight and we got back in the game. We scored three or four runs there. If we could have done that earlier and not put ourselves in that hole with those errors, we would have had a better chance at the game. I saw some fight from my guys and I think that’s important moving forward that they continue to fight like that.”

Jones went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored and Jacorey Wise went 1 for 2 with a run scored for the Panthers in the losing cause.

Koby Robinson took the loss as the Panthers’ starting pitcher. He gave up nine runs on five hits, walked three and struck out two. Torrence Rush came on in relief of Robinson and gave up five runs on four hits with one strikeout.

Chip Cooper led the way offensively for the Rams by going 2 for 4 at the plate with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored.

With the win, WCH improves to 11-7 overall and 6-4 in Region 1-AA play.
The Panthers will try once again to snap their 11-game losing streak when they turn around and face these same Rams once again in Sylvester on Friday in a doubleheader. First pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 4 p.m., followed by Game 2 at 7 p.m.