VALDOSTA —
The Lowndes varsity baseball team earned two wins while competing in the South Georgia Diamond Brawl summer tournament on Thursday at Noel George Field.
The Vikings defeated the Lee County Trojans 7-3 in the morning, then returned in the evening to record a walk-off 4-3 win over the South Aiken (S.C.) Thoroughbreds.
Lowndes’ Ty Harwell was the top performer, finishing the day 3 for 6 with two runs scored. Harwell blasted a solo home run in the game versus South Aiken, which cut the Vikings’ deficit to 3-1.
The Thoroughbreds started the game with three runs off a Lowndes error and four hits in the top of the first inning to grab a 3-0 lead. All of the runs were unearned against Lowndes pitcher Corey Pope, who delivered six innings of work in game 2.
Following Harwell’s homer in the bottom of the first inning, Lowndes scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, as David Wortham and Nic Higginbotham each scored. Wortham had reached base on a single and Higginbotham on an error by the South Aiken second baseman.
After holding the Thoroughbreds without a run in the top of the seventh inning, the Vikings scored a walk-off win when Judd George scored the game-winning run from third on a wild pitch from the South Aiken pitcher.
George, the second batter of the inning for the Vikings, reached base on a single, advanced to second base on a hit-by-pitch and to third base on an error by the third baseman, which would have ended the inning.
In the morning game, the Vikings scored seven straight runs to overcome a 2-0 first inning deficit to Lee County and record a 7-3 win.
Lowndes started its rally by scoring one run in the second inning and two more in the third to grab a 3-2 lead.
In the second inning, Harwell started things off by reaching base on a hit-by-pitch. Henry Hoff pinch ran for Harwell and scored later in the inning.
In the third inning, Higginbotham recorded a one-single, which was followed by a two-out single from Harwell. The following at-bat, Cameron Buescher connected on a two-run double, scoring Higginbotham and Hoff. Buescher later recorded another double in the first game and a single in his only at-bat in the second game to finish the day 3 for 5.
Lowndes added another run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly from Wortham, scoring Blake Smith, who reached on an error, and two runs in the sixth inning. The Vikings added another run in the top of the seventh inning to take a 7-2 lead.
Smith pitched all seven innings, allowing three earned runs on 10 hits. Smith got into trouble in the first inning, allowing three doubles to the Trojans, which resulted in the two runs. Smith found a groove in the middle innings, recording key outs with Trojan runners on base, until the seventh inning, when he allowed a leadoff double, an error and a walk, which loaded the bases.
Despite the scoring opportunity for Lee County, Smith allowed just one run, using a liner, a fly out and a strike out to end the game.
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Related Photos
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Lowndes’ Nic Higginbotham attempts to throw out a runner at first base after recording an out at third base during Thursday morning’s game at Noel George Field in Valdosta. Paul Leavy | The Valdosta Daily Times
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Lowndes’ Blake Smith pitched a complete game for the Vikings against Lee County at Noel George Field. Paul Leavy | The Valdosta Daily Times
Discussion
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