Indians Take Region Opener

The Stephens County Indians broke open a close contest scoring five runs in the top of the 7th inning and rolled to a 10-4 win over Oconee County in the Region opener for both teams Wednesday night in Watkinsville.

The Indians trailed after the first inning 1-0, but scored three in the 2nd when Zach Boyd and Cole Beitzel walked, Dawson Dean reached on an error, Kole Rogers had an RBI single, Griff Pruitt an RBI walk, and Rogers scored on a fielders choice.

The Warriors came back to tie the score 3-3 in the bottom of the inning, but the Indians struck for two more in the third when Bryson Fowler walked, Chaz Bridges singled, Boyd walked, Dean singled scoring Ben Hobbs running for Fowler, and Bridges scored on a Rogers fielders choice.

The score remained 5-3 until the Warriors scored in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to one.

The Indians bats heated up in the top of the 7th when they batted around. Bridges opened the inning reaching on an error, Boyd and Beitzel had back to back singles, Rogers and Pruitt followed with singles, Austin Page had a sacrifice fly, and Dawson Sorrells doubled. In the inning, Beitzel, Rogers, Pruitt, Page, and Sorrells had RBI’s, and Bridges, Beitzel, Rogers, Pruitt, and Carson Brock, running for Boyd, all scored.

Davis Swenson moved to 5-0 on the mound going five innings allowing three runs on seven hits and striking out five. Sorrels allowed one hit and one run in an inning of work, and Fowler pitched a scoreless 7th. Jackson Manders got the loss for Oconee County.

With the win, the Indians move to 1-0 in Region-8 AAAA play and 15-1 overall. Oconee County falls to 0-1 in the Region and 5-9 overall.

The two teams will meet again Thursday and Friday at the Reservation. Game time for both games is 5:55 P.M. with airtime at 5:45 P.M. on WNEG.

In another score from Region-8 play on Wednesday Madison County moved to 2-0 in the region with a 6-5 win over St. Pius, now 0-2.