Valdosta spoils Tift's Senior Night
Apr. 13—TIFTON — Tift County honored its baseball seniors Tuesday afternoon, but the end result saw Valdosta spoil the evening and exit with an 8-4 victory.
It almost slipped away from the Wildcats, however.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th, Cody Williamson missed a grand slam by only a few feet. The ball sailed over the fence, but to the right of the foul line. Williamson was one of the squad's seven seniors celebrated, along with Gavin Starling, Cole Smith, Garrett Carlson, Connor VanSumeren, Lino Acosta and Bailey Booth.
Tift took the first lead in the game, doing without benefit of a hit.
John Davis started the contest with a walk, moving over on Booth's sacrifice bunt. He was joined on the bases by John Dorman, who was hit by a pitch. Both advanced a bag on a wild pitch, then, with outs, a balk was called, and Davis trotted home.
That lead stood until the 3rd, when the Wildcats posted five runs.
Cole Porter and Eli Batts singled, the latter getting an RBI with Porter making a mad dash around the bases to score from first. Batts later scored on an error. Max Newbern and Nyk Emerson walked and Jordan Caraway picked up two RBIs on a double. Cohen Smith completed scoring, bringing in Caraway on a bloop to center.
The Devils cut into the lead in the bottom of the third in another unusual way of scoring.
Dorman singled with one out, Acosta following him aboard with a walk. Dorman was caught wandering too far off second, but an attempted pickoff went into the outfield. Dorman sped his way home, with Acosta taking second. Though Tyler Holmes also reached, Valdosta ended the threat with a double play grounder.
It remained a 5-2 game until the 6th, when each side scored twice.
Valdosta's runs game on a single by Emerson (scoring Porter) and a sacrifice fly by Caraway (scoring Newbern). Tift responded with Holmes scoring on a triple by Starling down the left field line. Williamson grounded out, enough for Starling to score.
The 'Cats tacked on a bit of insurance in the 7th, Jacob King reaching and coming all the way around without a hit.
Booth, Acosta and Holmes filled the bases in the bottom of the 7th, but Valdosta was able to close the door after the near grand slam.
Smith earned the victory for Valdosta, pitching five innings.
In addition to Senior Night, the Blue Devils also hosted youth baseball and softball teams.
Tift will host Lowndes Friday in a doubleheader, the last home Region 1-7A games of the year. Next week sees them close out region at Colquitt County.
