Errors prove costly in Wildcats’ loss to Worth County

Published 12:20 pm Monday, February 26, 2024

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ELLAVILLE – The Schley County varsity baseball team (SCHS) was hoping to improve its record to 4-0 on Friday when the Wildcats faced Worth County, but five errors by the Wildcats proved to be costly and they led in part to a 5-1 loss to the rams at Wildcat Park.

“Worth has a good team. Their coach does a great job coaching them,” SCHS Head Coach Chuck Cheek said. “We got down early. We shouldn’t have given up a run. We made some errors on the infield. Their pitcher did a good job. We’re going to get better at the plate. We’re hitting the ball great at practice. We’ve just got to translate it to the games. We’re going to get there. I’m not worried about that. I hate that we didn’t show up tonight to play to the best of our ability, but it’s early. We’re going to be ok.”

WCH got on the board first in the top of the second inning with two runs on a double by Owen Fletcher and three errors. Then in the top of the fifth, the Rams scored two more runs on three hits to take a 4-0 lead.

Schley County second baseman Carson Westbrook went 1 for 4 with a single in the Wildcats’ 5-1 loss to Worth County.
Photo by Ken Gustafson

The Wildcats scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth when Jack Clark drove in Jay Kanazawa on an RBI single, but the Rams added another run in the top of the sixth on an RBI single by Avery Kilcrease.

The Wildcats had trouble against WCH pitching in this game. Kilcrease, who was the starting pitcher for the Rams, gave up no runs on two hits, walked one batter and struck out six in three innings pitched. Caden Emerson came in for Kilcrease and earned the win for WCH. In four innings of work, he gave up a run on five hits, walked three batters and struck out four.

Ashton Raybon led the Wildcats’ offense by going 2 for 3 at the plate and Jake Little went 2 for 4. In total, the Wildcats had eight hits, but could only push across one run.

The Rams scored five runs on eight hits and played errorless baseball.

The Wildcats used three pitchers in this game. Brody Smith got the start on the mound and gave up two runs on two hits and struck out three in a little over two innings pitched. Jake Little came on in relief of Smith and gave up three runs on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts in three innings pitched. Trenton Stubbs was the final pitcher used in the game. He gave up no runs on a hit and had one strikeout.

The Wildcats (3-1) will try to get back into the win column when they take on Marion County in Buena Vista on Tuesday, February 7. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.