Woodland Snuffs McEachern Rally For 4-3 Win
On Thursday, the McEachern Indians baseball team hosted the Woodland (Cartersville) Wildcats in a non-region match up as both teams looked to bounce back from losses in their last games. Throughout the first three innings, both the Indians and Wildcats would get solid production from their pitching and defense in the field. It would not be until the top of the third when Woodland would get on the board first after McEachern’s Brice Adams would walk Woodland’s Jackson Rutledge with bases loaded and one out.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, McEachern would get the run back thanks to a one out RBI double by Grant Lester with a man on second, as the Indians tied the game 1-1. Unfortunately for the Indians, pitching would get a little shaky and the Wildcats would get some solid base running that allowed them to get several runners into scoring position and thanks to a couple of pass balls by the Indians and a sacrifice fly by Julian Wright, Woodland would regain the lead and go up 4-1.
McEachern would not let the three run deficit keep them from battling as they would pick up two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, including an RBI single by Jordan Baynes and the Indians trailed 4-3 at that point. Later, in the bottom of the sixth inning a crucial potential turning point in the game for the Indians in which they could have tied the game or take the lead would not go their way when Jaeden Mitchell for McEachern step up to bat with no outs and a runner at third base and would ground to Porter of Woodland, who would throw him at first base and then first baseman, Rowan Billings would make the throw to home plate for the second out.
The Wildcats would later get the third out of the inning and keep the Indians from scoring and in the bottom of the seventh inning, Woodland would keep the Indians at bay and go on to pick up the 4-3 win. After the game, Woodland head coach, Matt Montgomery said watching his guys battle and withstand McEachern rallies was something he was happy to see. “I’m most proud of when we got tested, that’s why you play good teams and schedule guys like this that are going to make you pay for your mistakes and not let you get away with stuff and that’s exactly what they did,” Montgomery said of McEachern.
Coach Montgomery would add that scheduling non-region games against tough opponents is something that is important because it allows his team to be “tested” and give he and his coaching staff an opportunity to see how much “fight” their players have to withstand the battle. Something that is key as the Wildcats prepare for region games. “In our region, every team’s good and we’re going to have to be able to execute to be successful,” Montgomery said referring to wanting his team to work on areas such as moving runners on base and taking advantage of having runners in scoring position.
