Bulldogs Win Series Over Rebels

The Toombs County High School baseball team took on Haralson County last week in the Sweet 16. The threegame series was held in Lyons, and it took all three games for the Bulldogs to take the win over the Rebels of Haralson. The series started with a double header on Thursday, and the played the third game on Friday.

Game 1

Toombs couldn't get the offense going in the first game of the series as they fell to the Rebels, 5- 2.

Toombs County got on the board early with a sacrifice fly from Cameron Ledford in the first inning. But the Rebels picked up a run in the top of the third inning to tie the game at 1-1. Toombs answered with a run in the bottom of the third off of a Haralson error to take the lead back, 2-1.

However, the Rebels responded in the fourth with back-to-back RBI singles to take a 4-2 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Haralson added one more run in the top of the seventh inning on the way to the 5-2 win.

Jackson Jenkins pitched a complete game for Toombs, allowing five runs (only two earned) across seven innings while striking out five. Offensively, Joseph Owens led the Bulldogs with a 2-for-2 performance and two walks, while Ledford drove in both Toombs runs.

Game 2 The Bulldogs bounced back in the second game of the double header on Thursday to take the win, and to keep their hopes alive.

Ty Hutchinson was lights out in Game 2 on the mound for the Bulldogs, throwing a complete- game shutout with 10 strikeouts and only three hits allowed.

The Bulldogs were the visitors in Game 2, and Toombs County broke through in the third inning with RBIs from Nick Carroll and Kipp Mosley. Toombs added one more insurance run in the top of the seventh inning to seal the 3-0 win.

Tucker Braddy went 2-for-2 and stole two bases, while the defense remained flawless behind Hutchinson. The Bulldogs also turned a double play and showed discipline at the plate with three walks and timely contact.

Game 3 Toombs County exploded for 10 runs in the rubber match on Friday, defeating Haralson County 10-2. Lawton Toole led the charge with a 3-for-3 performance that included a double and two RBIs. The Bulldogs racked up 16 hits total, with Nick Carroll also contributing three hits and two RBIs.

Brody Benton earned the win, throwing four innings and allowing just two runs, while Braddy came in and tossed three scoreless innings in relief. Toombs executed flawlessly in the field once again, committing zero errors and turning solid defensive plays to support their pitchers.

Toombs took the early lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning, and then they added two more in the second off of RBI hits by Tyson Brantley and Braddy. They plated three more runs in the third inning. Riley Kersey and Lawton Toole both came through with RBI doubles, with Carroll added an RBI single. That pushed the lead to 6-0 Haralson scored their first run in the top fothe fourth inning, but the Bulldogs answered in the bottom half of the frame with two more runs to extend their lead to 8-1. The Rebels got one more in the top of the fifth, but Toombs scored one in the fifth and one more in the sixth inning on the way to the 10-2 win.

With the series win, Toombs County moves on to the Elite 8 where they will face crosstown rival Vidalia. The series will start this Wednesday at Toombs County High School with a doubleheader starting at 4:30 p.m. The if necessary game is scheduled for Thursday at 6:00 p.m.