On Friday, April 29 the Appling County Pirates played host to the North Clayton Eagles in the opening round of the GHSA State Playoffs. During the first game, the Appling County Pirates and North Clayton passed the lead back and forth five times. In the end, the Pirates pulled out a 4-3 win in seven innings over North Clayton.
The Pirates pulled out the win thanks to a strong seventh inning. The Pirates went up for good on an RBI single by Casey Griffin off Caleb Clark, bringing home Price Eason.
Mason Parker worked out of 16 difficult moments for the Pirates. Parker pitched seven innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits. Parker faced his most difficult moment in the seventh inning.
Clark could not get it done on the mound for North Clayton, taking a loss. He lasted just six and one-third innings, walked one, struck out two and allowed four runs.
Neither team scored until the fourth when North Clayton got on the board, thanks to an error. Appling survived North Clayton’s surge and put up one run of their own in the fourth. The Pirates scored on a sacrifice fly by Micah Rentz.
In the second half of the doubleheader, the Pirates jumped out to an early lead on North Clayton and captured a 15-0 victory. Eight runs in the first three innings allowed the Pirates to put the game away early. A two-run triple by Jake Britt, an RBI single by Nick Spell, and a two-run double by Will Shumans during the first inning and an RBI double by Mason Parker in the second inning fueled the Pirates offense early.
Skyler Branch had a busy day at the plate, collecting two extra-base hits. He doubled in the first inning, tripled in the second inning, and singled in the fourth inning.
North Clayton’s lineup had no answer for Jason Ammons. North Clayton managed just one hit off of the Pirate’s pitcher, who allowed no earned runs, walked none and struck out eight during his three innings of work.
The Pirates easily handled North Clayton pitching as seven hitters combined for 13 hits, 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
Calvin Butler could not get it done on the bump for North Clayton, taking a loss. He lasted just one and two-third innings, walked four, struck out two, and allowed two runs.
Appling tacked on another two runs in the third. A clutch bases loaded walk scored Jeremy Norris to open the scoring in the frame.
The Pirates built upon their lead with seven runs in the fourth. Micah Rentz’s triple got things going, plating Spell.
The Pirates will host Jackson County on Wednesday, May 4 at 5:00 p.m.