Eagles Secure Playoff Berth
The Montgomery County High School Eagles baseball team locked down a postseason berth last week, navigating a brutal four-game schedule that tested their pitching depth. While the week included heavy nonregion losses to Atkinson County and Jenkins County, the Eagles handled their business where it mattered most, sweeping Wheeler County in a two-game series to secure fourth place in the Region. vs. Atkinson Co.
The week started rough for the Eagles on Monday as they fell behind early at home. Atkinson plated four runs in the top of the first inning, setting the tone for the after-noon. Montgomery County responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame, but the Rebels added four more in the second to build an 8-2 advantage.
The Eagles showed fight, putting up four runs in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit to 8-6. However, Atkinson broke the game open with a massive seven-run third inning. Montgomery County managed two more runs in the fourth, but a five-run fifth by the Rebels ended the game with a 20-8 Atkinson victory. at Wheeler Co.
The Eagles bounced back on Tuesday on the road. Wheeler struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first inning, but Montgomery County chipped away, getting a run in the second and taking the lead in the third on a hit by Matthew Harvey. The Bulldogs reclaimed a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third, setting the stage for a decisive fourth inning.
The Eagles erupted for eight runs on just three hits, highlighted by a clutch two-run single from Rilynn Dees. Wheeler pushed a run across in the bottom half of the frame, but Montgomery County added three more runs in the fifth to take a 14-5 lead. Despite late runs from Wheeler in the sixth and seventh innings, the Eagles held on for a 16-9 win. vs. Jenkins Co.
Returning home Wednesday, the Eagles ran into a buzzsaw against the War Eagles of Jenkins County. Jenkins jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first inning and extended it to 9-1 by the middle of the third.
Montgomery County staged a rally in the bottom of the third, pushing across six runs to trim the Jenkins lead to a manageable 9-7. That momentum was short-lived, as the War Eagles exploded for 18 runs in the top of the fourth inning, handing Montgomery County a 27-7 defeat. vs. Wheeler Co.
The Eagles closed out their week on Friday back at home, needing a win against Wheeler to solidify their playoff standing. They got to work immediately, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning fueled by a pair of RBI doubles, including a shot from Luke Burns.
Montgomery County kept the pressure on, adding a run in the second, three in the third, and two more in the fourth to build a commanding 11-0 lead. Wheeler managed three runs in the top of the fifth, but the Eagles answered with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to seal a 13-3 victory.
With the pair of wins over Wheeler, Montgomery County moves to 5-13 on the season. More importantly, their 3-7 mark in Region play secures a fourth-place finish and a trip to the playoffs. The Eagles wrap up the regular season this week with a trio of non-region tuneups. After hosting Claxton on Tuesday (played after presstime), they travel to East Laurens on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. before heading to Claxton for the regular-season finale on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.
