THOMASVILLE — The Cairo Syrupmakers played spoiler in Thomasville’s home opener on the diamond on Friday night. After a two game road trip that saw the Bulldogs go 1-1, Thomasville returned to the Rose City for their first home game of the season. This game was a pitcher’s dual through and through, with just seven hits recorded and 23 strikeouts between the two bullpens.
Despite, losing 3-1, the Thomasville pitching staff had a remarkable outing. Jay Harrison, Jadon Lirette and Cruz McCall took the mound for the Bulldogs and had a great night. Combined, they recorded 16 strikeouts and allowed just three hits and three runs through nine innings. Harrison had an especially good night on the bump. He started for the Bulldogs and went 6.1 innings and recorded 13 Ks against the Syrupmakers.
Cairo had more of a combined effort on the mound, sending out Eli Cooper and Ty Hatcher for three innings a piece. Cannon Maige took the bump for 2.2 innings to close out the game. Combined, they were phenomenal with 10 Ks, two hits allowed, and just a single run. Hatcher was pulled in the fourth due to an arm injury, which Cairo head coach Randy Adams said seems to be “nothing major.” Adams was specifically proud of Cooper’s three inning, three K performance.
“For Eli Cooper to come in after him (Ty Hatcher), that was the first time he’s toed the rubber for varsity in a year,” Adams said. “He was fantastic and then having Cannon (Maige) to come in and close it out. I mean, Cannon has that closer mentality anyway, but I was very very proud of the way they competed up there on the mound.”
Despite the hitting woes on both sides, Syrupmaker first basemen Braden Kines made his time at the plate count. He grounded out in the top of the seventh, but scored Maige to tie the game. His only hit came in the top of the ninth, when Kines drove the ball into the outfield for an RBI double, giving Cairo the lead in extras.
What hurt Thomasville the most was errors. Consecutive dropped fly balls in the seventh, which would have ended the game if caught, allowed Cairo to tie the game on Kines’ ground out. Thomasville also stranded multiple baserunners, seemingly handing the momentum to the Syrupmakers. Cairo took everything Thomasville would give them, getting more and more fired up as the game went on. As the game entered extra innings, it felt like whichever team scored first would win. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Cairo struck first and quickly finished the job in the bottom of the ninth.
“I’m very proud of the way they competed,” Adams said. “They never stopped competing.”
Thomasville will hit the road again, taking on Seminole County and Valwood before returning home on February 27 to face Tift County. Cairo will also be away in their next two outings, traveling to Colquitt County and Baldwin.