Wolverines Win Opening Region Series

By EDDY GIFFORD
Sports Writer

The Dade County High School Wolverine baseball team opened Region 7 1A play last week at home when they faced the Chattooga Indians in the first game of a three-game series.

The Indians took the lead in the top of the first inning when they pushed across a run to go up 1-0.

The Wolverines got runners on in the bottom of the inning but were unable to score and trailed 1-0 after one inning of play.

Chattooga came back in the second inning with three runs to take a 4-0 lead but Dade picked up three runs of their own in the bottom of the second to make it a 4-3 game.

In the top of the third, Chattooga added to their lead by picking up one run, but the Wolverines again answered with a run of their own and after three innings of play, the Indians still held the lead, 5-4.

The game settled down after that. Dade scratched out a run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game 5-5 and then rallied for two big runs in the bottom of the sixth to go up 7-5.

The Wolverines shut the Indians down in the seventh and picked up their first region win of the season 7-5.

Caleb Massey had one hit and three RBIs while Jax Guinn also had one hit and two RBIs to lead Dade County’s offense. Eli Kimball, Landon Williams, Jake Harris, and Bryson Swader also had hits for the Wolverines.

Mason Gatlin picked up the win in relief pitching 5.1 innings giving up five four hits and one run while striking out four.

On Friday, the Wolverines traveled to Chattooga for a double header after Thursday’s game was rained out.

The Indians again took the early lead, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning. After a scoreless second inning, Chattooga held a 2-0 lead.

DCHS picked up their first run of the game in the top of the third inning, but the Indians followed with a run of their own and led 3-1 heading into the fourth inning.

The Wolverines managed a run in the top of the fourth but Chattooga pushed four across in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-2 lead.

The Wolverines rallied for five runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game 7-7.

The Indians responded with one in the bottom of the fifth to regain the lead and then scored six big runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 14-7 lead.

Dade tried to rally back in the top of the seventh (scoring three runs) but came up short and fell to the Indians 14-10.

The Wolverines committed eight errors in the game and gave up just six earned runs.

Williams had three hits and three RBIs. Guinn also had three hits and two RBIs to lead the Wolverines. Kimball had two hits and two RBIs.

Harris took the loss, pitching two innings, giving up four earned runs, and striking out two. Guinn pitched four innings, giving up two earned runs and striking out three.

In the second game of the double header, Dade County wasted little time getting on the board, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning and after shutting down the Indians in the bottom of the inning led 3-0.

The Wolverines added another run in the top of the second to go up 4-0, and after a scoreless third inning, we pushed across three in the top of the fourth to take a commanding 7-0 lead.

Chattooga scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth before the Wolverines put the game away in the top of the sixth when they scored four runs to take an 11-1 lead.

Chattooga failed to score in the bottom of the sixth and the game ended on the run rule.

Gatlin and Williams had two hits each while Guinn had three RBIs to lead the Wolverines.

Gatlin picked up the win, pitching six innings, giving up just two hits, and striking out 11.

The Wolverines took the series two games to one, their first region series of the season.

This week, the Wolverines traveled to Coosa on Tuesday for the first game of the three-game series. On Thursday, game two will be in Trenton at 5:30 p.m., and then the Wolverines will travel back to Coosa on Friday for the third game at 5 p.m.