Panthers close out season with win over Furlow Charter on Senior Night
Published 9:09 pm Thursday, April 20, 2023
- Sumter County senior pitcher Devon Dowdell gave up a run on one hit with one walk and six strikeouts in the 17-1 victory over Furlow Charter on Senior Night. Photo by Ken Gustafson
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AMERICUS – It has no doubt been a long and hard season for the Sumter County High School Baseball Team (SCHS), but on Thursday, April 20, the Panthers ended their lengthy losing streak and sent their five seniors out on a winning note with a 17-1 victory over Furlow Charter.
The win was a great way for seniors Lavaris Milledge, Torrence Rush, Koby Robinson, Brian Williams and Devon Dowdell to finish their Sumter County careers.
“Oh my gosh! These guys, they have laid a foundation and that’s what we’ve been talking about,” SCHS Head Coach Lee Wright said. “Each day, just putting in the work consistently and I told them when they leave, win, lose or draw, if you lay a brick somebody can stand on, that’s what it’s about. And these seniors, for four years, they toughed it out. This is my first graduating class and they laid a brick. It consists of a lot of different things to make a brick. Right? But these guys, They demonstrated hard work. They’ve got character. They’ve got toughness. And I told the other young guys, ‘That’s what you build on.’ These guys demonstrate that every day. I love those guys. You can see the love and camaraderie here. It means that they appreciate everything that’s gone on for them these four years. For me, that says it all,” Wright continued.
Furlow Charter’s Logan Luten scores the Falcons’ only run of the game on an RBI single from Tate Raybon.
Photo by Ken Gustafson
The Falcons jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Tate Raybon drove in Logan Luten on an RBI single, but that would be it for the Falcons as far as run production in this game.
In the bottom of the first, the Panthers struck for 11 runs on five hits and they took advantage of six walks and three hit batsman from FC starting pitcher Riley Thompkins. Then in the bottom of the second inning, SCHS added six more runs on five hits, including an inside-the-park home run by Torrence Rush.
Sumter County senior Koby Robinson went 2 for 2 with two RBIS and three runs scored in the Panthers’ win over Furlow Charter.
Photo by Ken Gustafson
The Panthers’ starting pitcher, Devon Dowdell, was able to retire three of the four batters he faced to secure the run-ruled game for SCHS.
Justin Jones led the SCHS offense by going 3 for 3 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored and Dowdell went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and three runs scored.
Sumter County senior Torrence Rush is seen here scoring one of the Panthers’ 17 runs. Rush also went 1 for 2 at the plate with two RBIs, including an inside-the-park home run.
Photo by Ken Gustafson
On the mound, Dowdell worked a little over two innings, giving up one run on one hit with one walk and six strikeouts.
The Falcons only mustered one hit in the contest and it came off the bat of Raybon, who drove in a run on an RBI single in the top of the first inning.
