VALDOSTA — The South Georgia Diamond Brawl got off to a fast start. A really fast start.
It only took the Jenkins one hour and 30 minutes to beat Lowndes 1-0 in the first of 69 games in the South Georgia Diamond Brawl on Wednesday.
“You can talk about this game in two sentences, I think,” Lowndes head coach Danny Redshaw said. “We didn’t execute and gave them a run. I don’t know what else to say.”
The game was a battle of 2009 region champions. The Vikings won region 1-AAAAA, and the Warriors won region 3-AAAAA with an 11-1 region record.
The Warriors, who won 18 games in row last year but were bounced out of the state playoffs in the first round, scored their only run on an error. In the fourth inning, Vikings’ pitcher Ryan Farrill fielded a bunt and threw wildly past first base, allowing Brad Street to score from second to put Jenkins up 1-0.
Farrill pitched all seven innings for the Vikings and gave up just one unearned run and five hits. He struckout eight and didn’t walk a batter.
“Farrill did a great job of pitching. Unfortunately he made the error on that bunt and that was the difference,” Redshaw said.
The one run was all that Warriors ace Eric Ricks needed.
Ricks also went the distance, striking out 11 and giving up just four hits. The side-winding right hander didn’t have an overpowering fastball, but he consistently changed speeds and location.
“We were off balance,” Redshaw said. “The kid threw well. He wasn’t overpowering velocity-wise, but he knew how to pitch. Heck, I think he was 10-1 this year for them. He’s a quality pitcher. We just didn’t do our job at the plate.”
The Vikings’ best chance to score came in the fourth. They put runners on second and third with no outs but couldn’t score. Bryant Alonso ledoff the inning with a single and stole second. He moved to third when Brandon Gilbert reached on an error, then Gilbert stole second. Ricks settled down by striking out Seth Evans, popping up Mike Moore and striking out Kyler Kirkland to end the threat.
The Vikings had one last chance in the seventh inning, but Tyler Hunter struckout on three pitches with the tying run at third base to end the game.
Lowndes’ offense got back on track Wednesday night when the Vikings rebounded to beat Shaw, 14-2.
The Vikings final game in the South Georgia Diamond Brawl is today against Cedar Shoals at 7:45 p.m. at Noel George Field.
Local Sports
Jenkins beats Lowndes in pitching duel, 1-0
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VSU teams hosting summer camps
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All-American again
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Wildcats close spring practice
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VSU teams hosting summer camps
