Staff reports
EVANS — The season came to an end for Valdosta High’s baseball team Friday night, as the Wildcats lost both games of their first-round series with Greenbrier, 12-0 and 9-6.
Valdosta ends its season 14-14. Greenbrier, a tough first-round opponent for the Wildcats, improved to 22-5.
The Wildcats were blown out 12-0 in five innings in the first game. Trailing 1-0 in the top of the fourth, VHS committed errors on two consecutive plays, and that started a six-run inning for Greenbrier.
The second game, however, was a classic. Facing elimination, Valdosta fell behind 3-0 in the third, but battled back to tie the score. The Wolf Pack took the lead two more times, but both times, the Wildcats came back to tie the score again.
“I was proud of our guys. They fought hard, and never gave up,” Valdosta head coach Bart Shuman said. “We scrapped and scratched and did the little things. I was proud of our effort.”
In the bottom of the seventh, Valdosta loaded the bases with one out, and had a chance to win the game. But they could not get the winning run across home plate, and the game went into extra innings.
Finally, in the top of the ninth, Greenbrier’s Shawn McCain hit a three-run homer to give his team a 9-6 lead.
Friday’s games were the last ones for Valdosta seniors Kyle Rowe, Jamie Turner, Cameron Cain, Harrison West, Stuart Brooks, John Mark Stephenson, Tyler Stalvey, Wesley Welch, Dustin Spriggs and Sterling Dunlap.
“It was a good season,” Shuman said. “I’m sad for our seniors.... They’ve had good careers here.”
Three times making the state playoffs, a region championship, a trip to the semifinals. I’m proud of them.”
