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.