Indians defeat Cougars to win series finale, move closer to region top seed.

East Coweta Indians saw a gamble work Saturday afternoon as Zack McCurry gave him five solid innings as the offense scored six runs in the top of the fifth inning en route to an 11-5 victory over the Newnan Cougars in the finale of their Region 3-AAAAAA series at Joe Pope Field.
By virtue of winning the series, the Indians improve to 21-2 overall and 11-1 in the region and will host the Westlake Lions Monday evening in Sharpsburg while the Cougars fell to 17-5, 10-2 and will face Langston Hughes Monday evening in Fairburn.
The Indians got on the board in the top of the first inning as Cameron Smith led off with a walk, advanced to third on a one out double by Cole Antmann and after an intentional walk to Jon Banks came home on a sacrifice fly to center field by Geremy Walton.
However, the Cougars tied the game at 1-1 off McCurry when Will Dreggors reached on an infield single and two outs came home on an infield error.
The Indians regained the lead after one out in the top of the second inning when Travis Williams singled, stole second and reached third on a balk call before scoring on a bunt single by Tim Manning.
Manning gave the Indians a 3-1 lead when he advanced to second on a single by Smith and came home on a throwing error that allowed Bryce Gemmel to reach base.
The margin was enough for McCurry who was named the starter after the game was rained out on Friday as he made it stand until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Cougars tied the game.
Sam Buchanan led off with a double and courtesy runner Drew Morris advanced to third when Brandon Dawson grounded out and after Charles Reeves was hit by a pitch Rodney Tennie followed with an RBI single.
Reeves came home with the tying run on an errant pickoff throw.
The Indians responded with 11 batters going to the plate in the top of the fifth inning with six runs coming home to take a 9-3 lead.
With Thomas Sumner on the mound for Newman, Gemmel led off with a double and Antmann followed with a single before Banks drove home the lead run with a single.
Antmann scored the second run of the frame on a wild pitch, then Walton was intentionally walked and after Meyer grounded out Stephan Cruver came off the bench to line a two-run single to right.
Williams reached on a walk and with two outs Gemmel had a two-run single as Cruver and Williams touched home plate.
Newnan tried to rally in the bottom of the frame as Dreggors and Nelson singled then Jonathan Swenson reached on an error before Buchanan was retired on strikes and Dawson was called out on an infield fly before reevs came to the plate with two outs.
The Cougar left fielder responded with an infield single as Banks made a diving stop at third base and Dreggors came home but a flyball to center ended the threat and the evening for McCurry on the mound after allowing seven hits, four runs (one earned), two hit batsmen while recording four strikeouts.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Indians scored their final two runs as Banks singled and stole two bases before coming home on a single by Meyer who was replaced by Austin Bellamy who came home on an RBI single by Manning.
Meyer returned to the game and replaced McCurry on the mound in the bottom of the frame allowing only a triple to Justin Groover but he would struggle in the bottom of the seventh as Swenson and Buchanan walked and Dawson was hit by a pitch to load the bases before he was replaced by Antmann.
Antmann threw a wild pitch that allowed Swenson to score but followed that with a pair of swinging strikeouts and ending the almost three hour game with a groundout.