VALDOSTA —After losing game one of their series against Lowndes High’s Vikings, Valdosta’s Wildcats traveled across town to Lowndes High School for a doubleheader. In the last regional games of the season, the Vikings took the series 3-0 in the always entertaining matchup between hometown rivals.
In the first game of the evening, Matthew Kerrigan took the mound for the Vikings, pitching 3.2 innings and giving out eight hits. Kerrigan struck out six and gave one freebie and seven runs. Ty Macera took over for Kerrigan in the fourth, throwing one hit, two bases-on-balls, and one strikeout. Brayden York took the game’s last three innings with two hits, one freebie, and striking out five.
Andre Mason got the start for Valdosta, pitching five complete innings and giving out 13 hits and nine runs. Mason threw two strikeouts and gave away two bases-on-balls.
In the most competitive game of the series, the two teams traded runs, with Valdosta playing at its best. Valdosta led the game 7-5 by the end of the fourth inning, but big hits from the Vikings in the fifth and sixth changed the game.
The Vikings’ big hits came off the bats of Tate Sirmans and Jordan Hudson, both smashing clutch homers to secure the game. Sirmans plated Ashton Bohler in the fifth, and Hudson plated Noah Thigpen in the sixth. Lowndes took the first game of the evening 9-7.
Lowndes completed their sweep of the town rival on the nightcap, raising their overall record to 23-5 and their region record to 11-1. The series secured their first place in the regional playoffs.
Eli Willis started for the Vikings, pitching two innings and giving out four hits, four freebies, and two runs. Jackson Hill took over in the game’s third inning, throwing three strikeouts, three base-on-balls, and two hits.
Valdosta started Hayden Coats, who pitched one inning and two outs, giving out four runs and four bases-on-balls. Kyler Davis subbed to the mound for three innings and one out, throwing one hit and three walked bases. Tanner Day took over for the game’s final inning, with one hit and one strikeout.
The action of the night’s final game took place mainly in the first three innings, with no runs or significant hits in the final four.
Valdosta scored the first run of the game with a single from Braeden Lampkin, plating Skyler Howell. The Vikings scored four runs in the bottom of the second with four base-on-balls and a hit-by-pitch, resulting in two free runs for Lowndes. A single from Coleman Lewis on loaded bases scored Kerrigan and Sirmans.
Valdosta scored its last run of the night in the top of the third inning on a sacrifice fly to left field by Stephen Little, which plated Lampkin. With no runs or significant hits for the rest of the game, Lowndes took the game 4-2. Valdosta’s Wildcats will not move to the state playoffs; however, the Vikings will move to compete as a No. 1 seed.