Panthers pick up first season win

The Diamond Panthers opened their season with a trip to Lumpkin County last Tuesday to face the Indians of Lumpkin County. The Indians had defeated Habersham County 18-5 in a scrimmage game earlier in the week, and was coming off a no-hitter over East Jackson, winning 10-0 the day before.

Jackson County looked to take control early, putting a man across the plate in the top of the first. But Lumpkin County went on a tear, first putting six runs on the board in the bottom of the first. The

Panthers didn’t help themselves in the second inning. After first going scoreless in the top of the inning, Jackson County had two walks, hit two batters and had five errors, aiding the Indians in adding three more runs to their score.

Jackson County began working their way back, cutting the lead to four runs by putting two men across in the top of the third and in the top of the fourth. The Indians matched that in the bottom of the fourth, putting four runs across. After both teams’ bats fell silent for the fifth inning, Jackson County tried to battle back again, as they added two runs to their total in the top of the sixth. Lumpkin got one run across the plate in the bottom of the inning, and went on to win 14-7.

Austin Robinson went 2 for 4 for the Panthers, hitting one double, one triple and two RBIs. Zach Sticher went 2 for 4, Quinn Grogan went 2 for 4, and Codye Elrod went 1 for 2 with three RBIs and two walks.

Larry Evans recorded the loss on the mound.

Also pitching on the game was sophomore Devin Elliot, who threw for two innings, junior Rob Williams, who threw for an inning and a half, and freshman Quinn Grogan, who pitched for one inning.

“The game was extremely sloppy,” said coach Tommy Fountain. “I was happy with the way we battled back to cut the lead going into the bottom of the fourth.

“To literally hand them a 9-1 lead…in two innings and then come back and battle was a good sign, but you can’t spot a good baseball team an eight run lead.”

“To have two freshmen, Austin Robinson and Quinn Grogan, lead us at the plate is a huge deal for the future,” he added. “This is the first game of the season and we’re only going to get better, so we’ll be ok.”

Oglethorpe Co.

Thursday brought another road trip for Jackson County, as they traveled to Oglethorpe County to face the Patriots.

Things started well, as the Panthers scored two runs in the top of the first on an RBI ground rule double from Ken Miller, and an RBI single from Sticher. Jackson County put four more runs across in the top of the second on a two RBI single from Garret Daglis, while Kelly Moates and Austin Robinson both had RBIs.

The Patriots cut the lead to four on two walks and a single that allowed two runners to score in the bottom of the second. Oglethorpe continued the rally in the bottom of the third off of an error and two-run homer, and then tied the score in the bottom of the fourth with a single, a walk and an error.

But the Panthers would not be denied, and retook the lead in the top of the fifth, as Jason Hays had an RBI single to follow a double by Sticher. Jackson County moved away in the top of the seventh by putting four runners across on a two RBI single from Moates, an RBI single from Robinson, and an RBI from Rob Williams to win 11-6.

Elrod went 3 for 5, Williams was 2 for 3 with two doubles and an RBI, while Sticher had two hits and a doubles. The Panthers also saw six hits and seven RBIs from five freshmen and sophomores.

Larry Evans recorded the save on the mound after relieving winning pitcher Austin Robinson. Evans struck out seven in three innings. Robinson struck out six, giving up three hits and six runs, with only two of those earned.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald or The Braselton News.