Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

ELLAVILLE – The Schley County Wildcats (SCHS) very nearly pulled off a dramatic comeback in Game 3 of their playoff series with Lanier County (LC). Trailing 6-1 to the Bulldogs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Ashton Raybon belted a two-run home run and Jack Clark would later hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh. However, it would not be enough, as the Wildcats fell to LC by the score of 6-5 to end their season.

“They’ve got a really god team. We put ourselves in a hole and we tried to fight back,” SCHS Head Coach Chuck Cheek said. “We took the lead in the second game and had a chance to finish it and gave up a big inning. I’m hurting for our seniors. They gave us everything they had and I’m just so, so appreciative of them. They’re great guys and yeah, I hate seeing them hurt.”

The Wildcats out hit the Bulldogs 10-6 in Game 3, but committed four costly errors.

Trenton Stubbs went 4 for 4 at the plate with a run scored to lead the SCHS offense. Jack Clark went 2 for 4 with a two-run homer and Jay Kanazawa went 2 for 4 at the plate with a single and a double.

Jake Little got the start on the mound for SCHS. In four innings of work, he gave up three runs on three hits, walked four batters and struck out five. Jay Kanazawa came on in relief of Little. In a little over an inning, he gave up three runs on one hit, walked two and struck out one. Brody Smith was the third and final pitcher used by the Wildcats. In a little over an inning of work, he gave up no runs on two hits with one strikeout.

The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by Ashton Cook. Then in the top of the fourth, the Bulldogs scored two runs on two hits and took advantage of an error.

The Wildcats got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when Trenton Stubbs scored on a wild pitch, but the Bulldogs responded in the top of the sixth with three runs on two hits and took advantage of two walks, an error and a wild pitch.

However, the Wildcats did not quit. Ashton Raybon’s two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth put SCHS within three at 6-3. Then in the bottom of the seventh, Jack Clark brought SCHS to within one with a two-run homer. It looked as if the Wildcats might stage an incredible come-from-behind victory in the state playoffs. With two outs and SCHS trailing 6-5, Trenton Stubbs and Ju Ju Salazar both singled, putting the tying run at second base. However, Ashton Raybon grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game and the Wildcats’ season.

Having won Game 1 by the score of 6-3 on Saturday, the Wildcats were hoping to take Game 2 and the series, but the Bulldogs were able to pull out a 10-9 victory in the bottom of the seventh on a walk-off RBI single by Drake Wolford.

Going into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Wildcats had a 6-3 lead, but the Bulldogs scored six runs on five hits and took advantage of a walk and a hit batsman.

However, SCHS fought back with three runs in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Brody Smith and an RBI double by Jake Little to tie the game at 9-9.

Unfortunately, they were not able to hold on and lost Game 2 by the score of 10-9.

The Wildcats finish the season with a record of 26-5, while Lanier County moves on to the Final Four of the GHSA Class A Division 2 state playoffs.