VALDOSTA— Lowndes High School’s Vikings emerged victorious in a three-game regional series against Colquitt County, winning Games 2 and 3 after falling in the opener.

Game 1

Lowndes fell just short in the series opener, as Colquitt County capitalized on defensive miscues and timely hitting to win 3-2.

Lowndes took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, with Matthew Kerrigan doubling and Coleman Lewis driving him in with an RBI single. However, the Vikings could not add more, stranding two runners. Colquitt responded in the second inning, capitalizing on back-to-back walks and an error in left field, which allowed two runs to score and gave the Packers a 2-1 lead.

The Vikings fought back in the fifth inning, with Heath Davis reaching on a single and stealing second before Derrick Carter ripped an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2. However, Colquitt answered immediately in the bottom half, as Jake Walker lined a double to right field, scoring the game-winning run to put the Packers back on top 3-2.

Despite a strong performance from Brinson Rountree, who held the mound for six innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits, Lowndes could not find the late-inning magic. A sixth-inning rally was halted by a double play, and the Vikings went down in order in the seventh, sealing the Game 1 loss.

Game 2

Facing pressure to stay alive in the series, Lowndes responded dominantly, using timely hitting and shutdown pitching to defeat Colquitt 6-3.

Lowndes struck first again, with Carter singling home Kerrigan in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. Colquitt tied it in the second, but the Vikings surged ahead in the third, as Cason Fletcher singled, Lewis was intentionally walked, and Carter came through again, smacking a two-run double to right field, putting Lowndes ahead 3-1.

Colquitt answered back in the fourth, scoring two runs on an RBI single from Walker, tying the game at 3-3. But Lowndes refused to stay down. In the bottom half, after Davis reached and stole second, Fletcher stepped up and crushed a two-run home run to left field, reclaiming the lead at 5-3.

Drew Inman entered in relief and dominated, pitching three scoreless innings and striking out three while escaping a bases-loaded jam in the fifth. Noah Burnham closed out the game, putting away the last of Colquitt County’s batters to secure the victory and even the series at 1-1.

Game 3

Colquitt scored first in the top of the first inning, using two walks and a single to load the bases before Hayden Hembree came home on a fielder’s choice to give the Packers a 1-0 lead.

Lowndes answered immediately in the bottom half, as Lewis was hit, stole second, and worked his way around to score on a fielding error in left field, tying the game at 1-1.

From there, Lowndes’ Garrett Moon and Colquitt’s Cook Tompkins took over, trading zeroes for the next four innings. Moon pitched a full seven innings, allowing just five hits while striking out four and keeping Colquitt’s hitters off balance. Tompkins was also sharp, holding the Vikings to just one run through five innings before Lowndes finally broke through in the sixth.

With one out in the sixth, Fletcher singled to center, later advancing to second on a groundout from Carter. Then, with two outs, N Burnham came through with the game-winning RBI single to right, scoring Fletcher and putting Lowndes up 2-1.

Needing just three outs for the win, Moon took care of business. After a groundout and a strikeout, Colquitt threatened with back-to-back singles, putting the Packers in a position to tie the game. But Moon induced a groundout to shortstop Fletcher, who made a clean throw to first to end the game and secure the series win.

The Vikings will stay home on Tuesday to start their regional series against Camden County’s Wildcats.