Smith, Henderson pitch Northgate to Junior Varsity win

Robert Smith and Eric Henderson combined to allow hits over seven innings as the Northgate Vikings defeated the East Coweta Indians 5-1 in a junior varsity baseball game played Friday in Sharpsburg.
The Vikings took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Connor Mask was hit by a pitch and with one out eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Northgate added to the lead in top of the second inning as Keelen Sloan reached on a walk and Smith doubled to left field.
Sloan came home on a a passed ball and Smith moved to third before scoring on a sacrifice fly to center field by Darren Kirkley.
The Indians got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third as Caleb Cashion reached on an error in the outfield and advanced to third before coming home when Trevor Crowdis grounded out to shortstop.
Northgate scored twice in the top of the fourth inning as Sloan and Smith reached on consecutive singles with Sloan coming home on a passed ball and Henderson scoring from third on a sacrifice fly to center by Mask.
The 5-1 Vikings' lead was in danger after one out in the bottom of the frame as Jeff Sangster reached on a dropped third strike followed by consecutive singles from Tanner Floyd and Ethan Walker that loaded the bases.
Walker led EC in hitting with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate.
However, Smith rebounded and was able to retire the next two batters with a strikeout and a groundout to end the threat.
Smith, who had two hits at the plate, was relieved by Henderson with one out in the bottom of the fifth after William Kelley was hit a by a pitch.
In four and one-third innings on the hill, Smith allowed three hits and one walk while recorded five strikeouts in picking up the win.
Henderson would get out of the fifth with a strikeout and a flyball then allowed singles to Kelley and Walker in the final two innings of the game
In his relief appearance, Henderson recorded three strikeouts.
Northgate is scheduled to play a junior varsity doubleheader at home Saturday morning at 10:00 against Newnan while EC is scheduled to travel to Peachtree City for a 5:30 game against McIntosh.

Masons lead the way for EC in a pair of wins

Mason Meyer tossed a complete game seven-hitter as the
Indians were 5-1 winners over Union Grove. Meyer also recorded
eight strikeouts.

If your first name was Mason, the chances of being the winning pitcher in a Thursday game for the East Coweta Indians were real good.

Early in the day, Mason Meyer allowed seven hits and recorded eight strikeouts in a 5-1 complete game win over the Union Grove Wolverines while Mason Frady allowed five hits in as many frames with eight strikeouts in a 6-1 win over the Spalding Jaguars.

The two wins gave EC four straight wins after an 0-2 start while Spalding lost their first game after eight wins and Union Grove fell to 3-4 after the loss and a 2-1 loss later in the day to Spalding.

In the opener of the day, the game was scoreless until the Wolverines took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning but the Indians came back with a run in the bottom half to tie the game as Ryan Dyal walked, stole second and came around after a pair of wild pitches.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Wolverines made a pitching change and the Indians responded by scoring two runs that gave them a 3-1 lead.

Zack Bruce led off with a single and stole second before advancing to third when Trevor Gaddy followed with a single.

A sacrifice bunt by Ethan Darrow allowed Bruce to come home with the go ahead run and a two out single by Dyal allowed Gaddy to come home with the other run.

Miscues in the bottom of the sixth inning befell Union Grove as EC was able to take advantage by scoring two insurance runs that sealed the deal for the latter.

With two outs, Nate Gick reached base on an infield error that allowed him to take second and after advancing to third on a passed ball Bruce was able to reach base on a walk.

Gick was able to score on the front end of a double steal and Bruce was able to score

Meyer gave the Indians a quality start that they were looking for as he was able to pitch a couple of situations in which the Wolverines were in scoring position but left stranded.

In the night cap, the Indians took the lead in the bottom of the first inning when Devonte Brown drilled a pitch over the left field fence for a solo home run.

The Jaguars tied the game in the top of the fourth inning but the regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning as they scored five runs to take the lead.

Gaddy and Darrow reached on consecutive walks and with one out, walks to Dyal and Emilio Morales gave the Indians a 2-1 lead as Gaddy came home.

Cameron Jackson was hit by a pitch to bring Darrow home and after a base loaded walk to Coleman Wood, Gick had a two run single that ended the scoring.

The lead was enough for Frady who left after five innings in favor of Cody Rodgers who breezed through the sixth inning by retiring the side in order.

Avery Reynolds took over the top of the seventh inning and allowed two hits in between two outs and saw the game end as a Jaguar baserunner tried to advance to third but Dyal threw a strike to Jackson at third.

SPALDING 2, UNION GROVE 1

Ryan Smith came home with one out on the bottom of the seventh to give the Jaguars the win.

Smith opened the frame by reaching on a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jacob Bryant and stole third before coming home on an infield hit by Parker Shultz.

The Jaguars took the lead in the bottom of on an RBI single by Wesley Hancock but the Wolverines tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Ayers.

The game was played in between the two East Coweta contests.

UPCOMING EAST COWETA GAMES

The Indians freshmen will travel to Northgate for an 11:00 game against the Vikings on Friday while the two schools junior varsity teams will meet at EC at the same time.

The varsity will host the LaGrange Grangers in a Monday evening game beginning at 5:30.  

EC Varsity wins at Whitewater, tough losses for Freshmen and Junior Varsity

Ryan Dyal had four RBIs in East Coweta's 8-3 win over Whitewater.

FAYETTEVILLE-Monday was one of ups and downs for the East Coweta Indians baseball teams as they traveled to Whitewater to face the Wildcats program.

In the varsity game, Ryan Dyal had two hits and four RBIs while Coleman Wood and two relievers scattered 10 hits in an 8-2 victory while the freshman dropped a 6-5 game and the Wildcats scored all of their runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to come away with a 5-1 win.

The varsity improved to 2-2 on the season with a unique series of games on Thursday as they will face Union Grove and Spalding with the aforementioned doing battle in between EC contests.

Meanwhile, the freshman (11:00) and junior varsity (1:00) squads will have rematches against Whitewater at home on Wednesday weather permitting.

In the varsity game, the Indians took an early lead in the top of the first inning with two runs after two outs in the frame.

After one out, Emilio Morales and Dyal each reached base by getting hit by pitch and with Nick Daniel coming to the plate, the Whitewater starter was lifted after suffering elbow problems.

After the change on the mound, Daniel was retired on strikes but teammate Trevor Gaddy picked him up by lining a two-run single to left.

The lead was extended in the top of the second inning as Ethan Darrow doubled to left and scored on a one out single by Zack Bruce.

After a caught stealing, Devonte Brown reached on a walk and Morales hit for the second time in the contest before Dyal came to the plate and delivered a run scoring double into right center field.

The Wildcats came back in the bottom of the second with a run against Wood as Reid Kasten singled and scored on a ground ball to shortstop by Nolan Wesolowski and the margin was cut to 5-1.

Mason Meyer pitched two innings of relief in the game.

After three innings in which he allowed four hits, Wood was relieved on the mound in the bottom of the fourth inning by Mason Meyer who found himself in a jam after retiring the first batter on strikes.

A walk and three singles brought the tying run to the plate, however Meyer settled down by retiring McKenzie on a flyball to left fielder Nick Holden who threw a strike into the infield and the final out came on a groundout to second.

The Indians struck back in to the top of second as Zack Bruce doubled and scored on a double by Dyal that also scored Brown who walked three times in the game.

In the to of seventh, Nate Gick led of by reaching on a single and advanced to second on throwing error and eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly by Cameron Jackson who narrowly missed a home run.

The Wildcats added a run in the bottom of the seventh against Mason Frady who took over for Meyer in the sixth.

WHITEWATER 6, EC 5 (Freshmen)

Whitewater took advantage of five walks to score three runs in the bottom of the first inning to a lead they never surrendered.

East Coweta tried to chip away at the lead in the top of the second inning as Jacob Burgess reached on a two out walk and scored on a double to left by Austin Bunn.

The score remained 3-1 until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Wildcats scored twice to take a 5-1 cushion.

However, the Indians refused to go away as they rallied in the top of the fifth inning with a pair of runs as Jonathan Williams singled and with one out came home on a single by Logan Frady who stole second and came home on a single by Jacob Howell.

The Indians drew within 5-4 in the top of the sixth inning as Ashton DeLoach led off with a single and moved to second on a balk before advancing to third on a groundout before scoring when Bunn grounded out to third.

Whitewater scored an important insurance run for them in the bottom of the sixth as EC came back in the top of the seventh inning to add a run as Frady reached on an error and eventually scored on a single by Jordan Kenty.

However, the bases loaded rally slowed down as a pair of questionable called third strikes and a flyball to center field ended the game.

The loss was the first in 2017 after three straight win opened the campaign for the younger Indians.

WHITEWATER 5, EAST COWETA 1 (Junior Varsity)

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning as Myles Dowell reached on a single and took second on a bunt single by Trevor Crowdis before coming home when a groundball hit by Jeff Sangster was mishandled in the infield.

The lead appeared to be enough for Indians starter JJ Freed who scattered four hits in as many innings and got some unusual plays made behind him including the bottom of the fourth inning when a double steal attempt was thwarted by Crowdis at second, catcher Tanner Floyd and third baseman William Kelley.

Brayden Carey took over in the bottom of the fifth inning with minimal damage but still a 1-0 lead heading to sixth.

In the frame, Carey retired the first batter with a strikeout but trouble came as the next two batters reached on infield errors before he was replaced on the mound by Bryan Crow.

Crow struggled on the mound as a single tied the game while a sacrifice fly gave Whitewater a 2-1 lead before a walk, a triple and an error led to the final margin.

The loss dropped EC to 3-2 on the season.

Indians freshman takes of advantage of Cougars' miscues in 12-6 win

The East Coweta Indians took advantage of early miscues by the Newnan Cougars to take an early that held in a 12-6 victory in a freshman baseball game played Saturday in Sharpsburg.

By virtue of the victory, the Indians are now 3-0 on the season as they prepare to face the Whitewater Wildcats in a series involving the freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams of the two programs beginning at 11:00 on Monday.

The Indians took the lead in the bottom of the first inning as Daniel Smith was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a pair of errors that allowed Logan Frady to reach first and advance to third.

With Keegan Rich at the plate, Frady was able to score on a wild pitch with the former eventually reaching base on a walk.

Jordan Kenty and starting pitcher Levi Wilson reached on consecutive one out walks that loaded the bases with Kaleb Gardner coming to the plate.

The first pitch hit the dirt and Rich was able to come home with the final run of the frame as the Cougars were able to avoid further damage.

In the bottom of the second inning, EC extended the lead to 6-0 as Frady reached on an error and Rich reached on a walk before Jacob Burgess had an RBI single.

A force play, an infield error that allowed a run preceded a walk and an RBI single by Gardner that accounted for the final run of the frame.

The Indians added to the run total in the bottom of the third inning as Leonard and Quinlan Wiley led off by reaching on consecutive infield errors.

Leonard was erased on a force play at third, but Frady followed with a solid single to left that brought Wiley and Smith home and the EC lead was 8-0.

The Cougars came back in the top of the fourth inning as AJ Gould was hit by a pitch and Mason Bervadi reached on a fielders choice before a walk to Hunter Keith loaded the bases.

A wild pitch scored Gould to eliminate the shutout while Bervadi scored on a bases loaded walk to cut the margin to 8-2

A stolen base of home by Malik Truitt cut the Newnan deficit cut the margin to 8-3 and a bases loaded walk to Jackson Youngblood accounted for the final run of the frame and the EC lead was 8-4.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Indians regained some of the runs they surrendered as Kenty singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Gardner before scoring on a wild pitch.

The second run of the inning came as Ashton DeLoach was able to score on an infield error by the Cougars and the lead 10-4.

The Cougars cut the score to 10-5 in the top of the fifth inning as Bervadi reached on a two out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and after stealing third was able to score when Russell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

The Indians scored their final two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as DeLoach was hit by a pitch and stole second base before coming home courtesy of a fielders choice hit by Daniel Smith.

Jonathan Williams, who reached on a walk earlier in the inning, came home with the final EC on an error by a Newnan infielder.

The final run of the game came in the top of the seventh inning as Gould led off for the Cougars with an a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on an infield error.

Wilson pitched the first three innings for EC before he was replaced in the fourth inning by Wiley who eventually gave way later in the game to Frady.

Austin Thomas started for Newnan and pitched one inning before several other hurlers worked the remainder of the game.

Frady single lifts EC freshmen to win

Logan Frady hit a two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the East Coweta Indians a 6-5 come-from-behind win over the Northgate Vikings in a freshman baseball game played Thursday in Sharpsburg.

The Indians, who defeated the Starr’s Mill Panthers 10-3 in their opener Tuesday, will host the Newnan Cougars in a doubleheader Saturday morning at 10.

With Kaleb Gardner on third and Daniel Smith on second after a wild pitch cut the EC deficit to 5-4, Frady lined a 2-2 offering into the outfield to score Gardner and Smith to give the home team the lead.

Frady took second on a throw home and advanced to third on a balk but was left stranded.

In the top of the seventh inning, Evan Fuller took over on the mound for eventual winning pitcher Ethan Leonard and retired the first two batters in the frame before Jak Everett reached on a walk and Blake Rhein followed with a single.

However, Fuller was able to recover by retiring Elliott Vickery on a called third strike that ended the game.

Northgate took the first lead of the game as Vickery reached on a leadoff double and advanced to third on an infield single by Colin Schmits before coming home on a sacrifice fly to left by Ryder Willard.

The game was tied in the bottom of the first inning as Frady reached on a walk and eventually came home on the front end of a double that allowed Jacob Burgess to advance to second.

The game remained tied at 1-1 until the top of the fourth inning when the Vikings scored three times to assume a 4-1 lead.

Donovan Cash led off the frame by reaching on a walk and after an out, Blake Rhein also reached base via the walk.

However, a flyball hit to Frady in center field meant the Vikings would need a two out hit and they got it as Schmits singled Cash home and an error allowed two more runs to come home and the Vikings regained their lead.

The Indians cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning as Smith reached on a one out walk, stole second and came home on a single to center field by Frady.

However, the Vikings got the three-run lead back in the top of the sixth inning as Vickery walked, stole second and moved to third on a bunt single by Schmits before scoring on Willard’s second sacrifice fly RBI of the evening.

The Indians began to chip away at the 5-2 deficit in the bottom of the sixth as Levi Wilson led off the frame by reaching on a walk and with one out, Jordon Kenty was hit by a pitch and Gardner loading the bases after a walk.

Austin Deloach was called out for stepping on home plate and the bases remained loaded with two outs.

Smith came through with a walk that cut the margin to 5-3 and reload the bases for Frady who would finish with a 3-for-3 effort in the game.

While Frady was at the plate, another run scored as Kenty came home to cut the margin to 5-4 and place the go ahead run at second for Frady who would respond for the Indians.