Tigers to host Morgan in last region game

Demont Gresham's pickoff move to Hunter Jackson at first base keeps an Oglethorpe base runner in check. Tigers to host Morgan in last region game Going into Tuesday's (April 17) game with region leader North Oconee, the Washington-Wilkes Tiger diamondmen had a secure hold on second place in Region 8-AA the the outcome of that game would bear heavily on the strength of that standing. A win would move them into a tie for first place, but a loss would drop them a full two games behind and with just one more region game to play, there would be no hope of a first place finish.

On Thurday of last week, the Oglethorpe County Patriots knocked the Tigers out of a tie for first place when they sneaked up late in the game to take a 3-1 win over W-W. It was Tiger senior Demont Gresham's (5-1) first loss of the seaon due to a lot of inactivity on the part of the Tiger offense.

"Thursday was one of those games where we just could not get anything going offensively," Head Coach Rob Jackson reported. "As a team, we struck out only three times but we just couldn't get many quality swings against Oglethorpe's Boswell. We hit alot of ground balls and Oglethorpe made all of the plays on defense," he continued.

"Demont did not have his best stuff but he gave us a chance to win and that's all you can ask for. He gave up a two-run homerun and that was enough to win the game. When you can only manage to score 1 run your not going to win many games," Jackson said.

Gresham also led the offense go- ing 3-for-3. Clete Wilson knocked a double and was 2-for-3 and Ty McGill was also 2-for-3 in the game.

The loss put the Tigers at 11-4-1 for the season and 6-2 in Region 8- AA South behind North Oconee at 11-6 overall and 7-1 in the region.

The day before, on Wednesday, April 11, the Tigers beat Jefferson County 9-4 in Louisville. Kelley Roberts started on the mound and pitched three innings. Drew Wilson (2-1) came on in relief and pitched three scoreless innings to get the win. Caleb Saggus finished up pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

Leading hitters in the game were Clete Wilson and Lee Thompson who were both 2-for-3; Jerrick Darracott, 1-for-3 with 3 RBI; and Saggus, 1-for-3 with 2 RBI.

The day before that, April 10, the Tigers beat Putnam by the score of 6-4. Clete Wilson got the start on the mound and pitched three strong innings before giving way to Gresham who pitched the final four picking up the win in relief.

W-W got things going in the first with a leadoff homerun from Saggus. Gresham drew a walk and Clete Wilson hit a single to put runners at first and second. Drew Wilson connected for a 3-run homerun to put the tigers up 4-0. Clint Echols drew a walk and eventually scored after Saggus drew a bases-loaded walk to put the TIgers up 5-0 after just one inning.

Putnam answered in the fourth inning after collecting three walks and two infield hits to score four runs. But the Tigers rallied with a run in the sixth after Jonathon Nicholson led off the inning with a double to center field. Gresham bunted Nicholson to third and Clete Wilson drove him in with a double to right center field making the final score 6-4.

Gresham recorded 11 strikouts over four innings of work. Leading hitters for the Tigers were Saggus 1-for-3 with a homerun; Clete Wilson 3-for-3; Drew Wilson, 1-for-3 with a homerun and 3 RBI; and Thompson 2-for-3.

Next the Tigers will host Morgan County on Friday, April 20, for the final region game of the season. On Monday, April 23, the team will travel to Harlem for the last regular season game. Region tournament action is scheduled to begin next Wednesday, April 25, at North Oconee High School.