Indians Sweep Rockmart-Advance to 2nd Round

The Stephens County Indians baseball team has advanced to the 2nd Round of the AAA State Playoffs sweeping a doubleheader, and the best of 3 series, two games to none at Rockmart on Friday.

The Indians took game one 7-3 and the nightcap 5-0.

The Indians entered the playoffs as the 4th seed from Region-8, but dominated the two games with the #1 seed from Region-6.

The Indians pitching staff was outstanding in both games. In game one, Ayden Garmon got the win going 6 1/3 innings and allowing one earned run on 4 hits and striking out four. Cruz Mullinix got the final two outs to seal the win.

Rockmart took a 2-0 lead after one aided by two Indian errors, but the Indians came right back with two runs in the top of the 2nd. Ben Stowe led the inning off with a double and scored on Colby Fowler’s RBI single. Fowler later scored in the inning to tie the game.

The Indians grabbed the lead for good in the 4th inning when Fowler led off with a single and scored on one of four errors committed in the game by the Yellow Jackets.

The Indians scored two more runs in the 5th when Garrett Burgess led of with a single, Stowe reached on an error, and Sam Austin, running for Burgess, and Stowe would score after the 4th Rockmart error.

The Indians got two more insurance runs in the 7th inning when with two outs William Roush walked, Fowler singled, Patrick Murray walked, and Garmon singled scoring Roush and Fowler. Rockmart scored one in the bottom of the inning for the final of 7-3.

Fowler was the hitting leader for the Indians going 3 for 4 with a RBI and scoring 3 runs.

In game two, Indians pitching struck out 14 and scored 5 runs on just 2 hits to take the 5-0 shutout.

Mullinix went 6 1/3 innings allowing only 3 hits and striking out 12. Grant Babbitt got the last two outs of the game and both on strikeouts.

The Indians scored 4 runs in the first inning sending 10 men to the plate. Carson Worley led off the bottom of the first with a single, Mullinix reached on an error, and Burgess singled home Worley. The Indians would load the bases and were gifted three runs. Jacob Pruitt got a RBI when he was hit by a pitch scoring Mullinix, Roush walked scoring Burgess, and Craig Thurmond walked scoring Fowler.

The hits by Worley and Burgess were the only hits in the game by the Indians. The Yellow Jackets Hunter Atkins relieved starting pitcher Jake Bailey and the Indians didn’t reach base again until the 5th inning when Mullinix led off with a walk and later scored on a balk.

Stephens County improves to 15-15 on the season and have now won 4 straight. Rockmart’s season end with a record of 20-8.

The Indians will now face the winner of Burke County and Upson Lee on Wednesday. That series is tied 1-1 with a deciding game later today.