Cougars get big win behind Kniedel, Jones and Oldham

(NOTE: If you see an error or wish to comment, please send me a private message on Facebook or an email to slcrosby10@gmail.com as a post on the blog will not be seen and a correction probably will not be made. Thank you.)

The Newnan Cougars picked up a much needed win Tuesday at Joe Pope Field with a 10-5 Region 3-AAAAAA victory over the Douglas County Tigers.
The young Cougars squad, who dropped four of their last five prior to the game, improved to 4-8 overall and evened their region record at 1-1 while the Tigers fell to 6-5, 0-1 in the region as the two teams will meet in Douglasville Thursday evening.
Newnan broke through in the bottom of the second inning as Justin Groover led off with a double, moved to third on a single by Caleb McElwaney and came home when Tyler Davis reached on a fielders choice as McElwaney was forced at second.
Davis stole second and after a strikeout, Chase Jones singled to center for the RBI and took second when the throw home was late to retire Davis.
Jones came home with the final run of the frame when Drew Oldham hit a bloop single to right field.
The Tigers gradually rallied against Cougars starter Tanner Snellgrove as Ricky Lindsey reached on a bloop single with two outs in the top of third and advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw by Snellgrove and eventually scored an unearned run on a single by David Ihrig.
Snellgrove struggled in the top of the fourth inning as he walked five of the sixth batters he faced in the frame with a pair of runs scoring before he was replaced by Chris Turner.
Turner retired the first batter on a strikeout but a pickoff attempt of the baserunner at first was errant and a run scored to give Douglas County a 4-3 lead.
The lead did not last long for the Tigers as the Cougars batted around, scored four runs and took a 7-4 lead.
McElwaney led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a groundout.
KD Satterwhite was hit by a pitch then Jones had a bunt single that brought McElwaney home with the tying run.
Satterwhite advanced to third on the play and after Jones stole second, Oldham followed with a two-run single to left.
Brady Barnes was hit by a pitch and after a flyball Jake Kniedel provided the final run of the inning when he singled to left and Oldham scored easily.
The Tigers scored a run in the top of the fifth as Mike Wright led off with a double and scored on a two out single by Ryan Kone.
The Cougars answered in the bottom of the inning with some two out magic as Satterwhite was hit for the second time in the game and Jones reached on a walk ahead of a two-run triple to right by Oldham.
Newnan added one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Connor Dunn reached on an infield error, courtesy runner Tucker McKibbon advanced on a wild pitch then came home when Kniedel singled to center.
Douglas County tried to rally in the top of the seventh inning with two runners on base and one out, but after a pitching change the next two batters were retired on groundouts to end the game.