Indians finishes sweep of Panthers with Friday win

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

East Coweta 12 Langston Hughes 2 (five innings)

SHARPSBURG-The East Coweta Indians took advantage of several miscues inthe field by Langston Hughes Friday night to come away with a 12-2 Region 3-AAAAA victory over the Panthers that gave them a sweep in the series.
The five-inning victory improves the Indians overall mark to 11-0 and 3-0 in the region as they prepare to host Lovejoy in a non-region game on Monday before beginning a three-game region series with the Douglas County Tigers who were 5-1 losers to the Newnan Cougars Friday night in Douglasville.
"We did what we were supposed to in the series for the most part," commented EC head coach Franklin Deloach. "There were some hiccups but that happens. Our defense played well and we had good pitching from Zack McCurry who twice in the series."
East Coweta wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard as Cameron Smith reached on a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a groundout by Bryce Gemmel.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Indians added a run as Matthew Meyer reached on a leadoff walk, advanced to third on bunt singles by Travis Williams and Blake Lorow before coming home on a one out single by Smith.
McCurry lost his chance at a shutout in the top of the third inning as J. Wyatt walked and after a hit batter and a bunt single loaded the bases would score with one out in the frame when Mike Bell was hit by a pitch.
However, the Indians added to the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning as 11 batters went to the plate and six runners came home to give the home team an 8-1 lead.
Jon Banks singled and advanced to second on a balk and Geremy Walton reached on an infield error before Meyer had an RBI double.
A sacrifice bunt by Lorow moved Walton and Meyer into scoring position for Williams who had another productive bunt single as Walton came home fromthird.
Williams stole second and Tim Manning delivered a single to right that scored Meyer and after a balk was called, Williams came home to give the Indians a 6-1 lead.
Manning scored on a single by Smith and after Gemmel reached on a walk and Cole Antmann singled, Banks ended the scoring with a single to left field.
The scoring continued in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Indians as Lorow and Williams reached on consecutive one out walks and with Manning at the plate, a balk was called and courtesy runner Jordan Lewis was awarded home.
Manning reached on a single and Smith followed a two-run single that scored Williams and Manning and eventually came home on athrowing error by the catcher.
McCurry had another solid outing as he pitched four innings allowing two hits, one run, two walks and hit a batter while recording eight strikeouts before leaving in favor of Jay Mann in the top of the fifth ining.
Mann opened the frame with a strikeout before surrendering a single to Max Hyde, who would advance to second on a wild pitch, to third on a throwing error on Lorow and score when a throw from Lewis in center field sailed out of the field of play.
After all of the drama from the scoring play, Mann settled down as he induced a fly before ending the game on a strikeout.