VHS Indians Take 2 From Herons
The Vidalia High School Indians baseball team played a three-game Region series against the Herons of Brantley County last week. VHS took 2 of 3 games from Brantley, Game 1
The Brantley County Herons came to Vidalia on Tuesday night March 14 and beat the Vidalia Indians by a score of 10-5. The Indians season record is now 6-7-1 and 0-1 in region play. The young Indians are having difficulty getting key hits with runners in scoring position as they left 12 runners on base in the game. Strikeouts are also hampering the offense as they picked up 9 hits but had 11 strikeouts. The Indians will travel to Brantley County Thursday for the 2nd game of this three game series and be back in Vidalia on Friday to end the first region series of the year.
Dawson Stewart started on the mound for the Indians and took the loss. He pitched five innings giving up six runs on six hits, one walk and striking out six batters. Tucker McDonald pitched one inning giving up three runs on two hits, walking one and striking out one batter. Cason Banks pitched one inning giving up one run on two hits and striking out two batters. Walker Moncus led the offense going 2-3 with a double, a walk and two RBI's. Carson Ricks and Kaleb Bennett each went 2-4 with Ricks also getting hit by a pitch and scoring one run.
Neither team was able to score a run in the first two innings. However, in the top of the 3rd inning the Herons were able to wrap three hits around an error and a hit batter to put four runs on the board to take a 4-0 lead. In the bottom half the Indians were able to get two runs back as Whited and Ricks picked up back to back singles and then both scored as the Herons made two straight errors. That left two runners on with only one out but a strike out and soft liner to the shortstop ended the threat leaving the Herons on top 4-2 after three complete innings.
The Herons were able to add a run in the top of the 4th inning with one hit, a stolen base, an error and a sacrifice fly to make it a 5-2 ball game when the Indians couldn't answer in the bottom half. The Herons also added a run in the top of the 5th inning on a couple of hits to make it 6-2 going to the bottom half. Banks reached on an error, Moncus and Bennett followed with singles to load the bases with no outs. After a strike out, Lowe got hit by a pitch plating one run and leaving the bases loaded with one out. A pop fly infield out and a strike out ended the rally and left the Indians down 6-3 after five complete innings.
In the top of the 6th inning, the Herons picked up three more runs on a walk, a single, a triple and ground out to push the score to 9-3. The Indians were able to only get one run back in the bottom half as Moncus doubled in a run. Bennett followed with a single and moving Moncus to third. Bennett then stole second base to put two men in scoring position with two outs. Once again the Indians couldn't get the clutch hit as a strike out ended the scoring threat with the Herons on top 9-4 going to the 7th inning.
The Herons were able to pick up one more run in the top of the 7th inning making it 10-4. The Indians were able to get one run in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly by Whited. Again the Indians left two men on base as a strike out ended the game with the Herons winning by a 10-5 score.
Game 2 The Vidalia Indians bounced back on Thursday night to beat the Brantley County Herons by a score of 7-6 in extra innings. The win evens the region series at one win each with the rubber game coming up Friday night at Greg James Field with a 5:00 start time. The Indians now stand at 7-7-1 on the season and 1-1 in region play.
Walker Moncus started on the mound for the Indians going five innings giving up five runs, on seven hits, four walks and picking up eight strikeouts. Jackson Berry came on to start the 6th inning and pitched three strong innings allowing only one run to pick up the win. There wasn't much offense as the Indians picked up only four hits. However, they did take advantage of six walks, four hit batters and three errors to score enough to secure the win. Cason Banks walked three times and was hit by a pitch allowing him to score three runs and drive in one. Kaleb Bennett had one hit and two RBI's.
The Indians were not able to score anything in the first two innings. The Herons were not able to score anything in the bottom of the first, but they put together two walks and four base hits to score four runs and take a 4-0 lead after two complete innings.
The Indians got one run back in the top of the 3rd inning as Banks got a one out walk, and Moncus doubled off the third baseman's glove putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. Banks was able to score as Bennett grounded out to short. The Herons went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half leaving the score at 4-1 after three complete.
The Indians didn't score in the top of the 4th inning, but the Herons picked up one more in the bottom half to make it a 5-1 game after four complete. In the top of the 5th inning the Indians were able to make it a 5-2 ball game as Dawson Stewart got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and came around to score on a single by Bennett as he picked up his second RBI of the game. When the Herons didn't score in the bottom half, it left the score 5-2 after five complete.
In the top of the 6th inning, the Indians were able to use hits by Lowe and Stewart along with two hit batters and a big throwing error by the Heron pitcher to score three runs and tie the game. Berry came on to pitch in the bottom of the inning and allowed no runs leaving the game tied at 5-5 after six complete innings.
With neither team scoring in the 7th inning, the game went to the 8th inning still tied at 5-5. In the top half the Indians scored two runs without getting a hit and took a 7-5 lead to the bottom half. The Herons were able to score one run, but Berry got the final out on a fly to center field picking up the big 7-6 region win.
Game 3
The Vidalia Indians took game three of the region series with the Brantley County Herons on Friday night in dramatic fashion. The win allowed the Indians to win the important region series two games to one. The Indians are now 8-7-1 on the year and 2-1 in region play. The Indians will continue region play with a three game series against Tattnall County next week. Game one will be played at Greg James Field on Tuesday, March 21, with game two slated for Tattnall County on Thursday and then back to Greg James Field on Friday.
Veer Patel started on the mound for the Indians going six innings giving up three runs on three hits, and four walks while striking out six batters. Conner Whited came on in relief to start the 7th inning pitching 1/3 of an inning allowing one run on two hits. Carson Ricks came on in relief of Whited to get the final two outs and picked up the win as the Indians rallied to win in the bottom of the 7th inning.
The Indian offense was led by Morgan Moye with three hits including a solo bomb to tie the game in the bottom of the 6th inning, Walker Moncus with two hits including a two run bomb for the walk-off win. Carson Ricks and Kaleb Bennett also had two hits each including Bennett's two doubles.
Neither team could score in the first two innings although each had the opportunity. In the top of the 3rd inning the Herons struck for a run on a two out walk and double to take a 1-0 lead. The Indians answered with a run of their own in the bottom half as Moncus drew a two out walk and Bennett drove him home with a double making it a 1-1 score after three complete innings.
Again neither team scored in the 4th inning. However, in the top of the 5th inning the Herons struck again with two outs as they got a double and bomb to go in front by a 3-1 score. The Indians were able to get one run back as Moncus got a two out single, and Bennett once again drove him home with a double to make it a 3-2 game in favor of the Herons after five complete.
The Herons were not able to score in the top of the 6th inning, but Morgan Moye launched a solo bomb to center field to make it a 3-3 game. This set up the dramatic finish in the 7th inning. The Herons used two hits and an error to score one run and take a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the 7th inning. Ricks led off by getting a hustling infield single. Banks followed with a perfect sacrifice bunt to get Ricks in scoring position. Moncus then hit a towering two run bomb to left field for the walk-off 5-4 win.
This week the Indians match up with the Warriors of Tattnall County for a Region series. They played the first game on Tuesday night after presstime. They will be back in action on Thursday at Tattnall at 5:30 p.m. and then on Friday in Vidalia at 5:45 p.m.
