Deloach, Williams lead offense while Howell handles pitching in EC freshmen win

Ashton DeLoach was 3-for-3 with two RBIs while Jonathan Williams had two hits and three RBIs Monday evening to support the pitching of Jacob Howell as the East Coweta Indians defeated the Troup Tigers 13-3 in a freshmen baseball game played in Sharpsburg.

The Indians improved their record for the season to 4-2-1.

Troup took the early lead as EC was guilty of an infield error which led to three runs in the top of the first inning for the former.

However, the lead didn't last long as the Indians rallied in the bottom of the frame with three runs to tie the game.

Williams reached on a leadoff single, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice by Quinlan Wiley before coming home with the first run after a single by Howell.

After the second out of the inning, DeLoach doubled to left and went to third on a wild pitch before scoring the tying run on an error in the Tigers’ outfield.

In the bottom of the second inning, the Indians took the lead as Ethan Leonard singled while Kaleb Gardner and Williams reached first on consecutive walks.

Wiley singled to center which allowed Leonard and Gardner to score but Williams was called out at third on a close play.

Wiley took second on the play and was able to score on a single by DeLoach to give EC a 6-3 lead.

The beat went on for the Indians in the bottom of the third as they scored four runs to take a 10-3 advantage.

Jacob Burgess walked, moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt and came home when a sacrifice bunt by Gardner was mishandled and thrown into right field.

Gardner came home when Williams grounded out and Wiley followed with a single and moved around the bases on an error that allowed Howell to reach.

A wild pitch allowed Wiley to score from third and after a walk to Keegan Rich, DeLoach followed with a single that scored Howell with the final run of the frame.

The 10-3 lead was enough for Howell who managed to recover from the struggles of the first inning to retire nine Tigers in a row.

Howell was replaced in the top of the fourth inning by Levi Wilson who walked the first batter but retired the next batter on strikes to end the inning.

In his two and two-third innings, Howell allowed three hits and recorded four strikeouts in getting the win.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Indians scored three runs which would allow them to end the game on the mercy rule.

Burgess led off by reaching on an infield error and stealing second while Leonard reached base on a walk and Gardner recorded a single that loaded the bases.

Williams recorded his second hit of game with a shot to right field that scored Burgess and Leonard and allowed Gardner to reach third.

After a walk to Wiley and a strikeout, Austin Bunn came to the plate as a pinch-hitter and the first pitch hit the ground allowing Gardner to score the final run of the game.