The Panthers (8-7, 4-5) host North Oconee (11-4, 7-2) — which is ranked no. 7 in Class AA — today at 5:55 p.m. as they try to earn a split with the subregion leaders.
Austin Robinson (0-4) took the loss for the Panthers (8-7, 4-5), who are in fifth in Region 8-AA South. Robinson gave up seven runs on seven hits in two and one-third innings before giving way to Jesse Tallent. Tallent worked three and one-third, giving up one run on four hits.
“They just pounded the baseball,” Jackson County coach Tommy Fountain said.
The Panthers finished with seven hits.
Quinn Grogan and Jalen Banks each went 2-for-3. Andy Williams accounted for Jackson County’s only run when he grounded into a fielder’s choice in the top of the fifth to bring home a run from third. That was the only score Jackson County managed out of a bases-loaded, one-out situation.
“We also stranded guys in scoring position two other innings,” Fountain said. “We actually played really well defensively and had good approaches at the plate. We needed one big two-out hit to open some things up that we never got. But, there’s not much you can do when the opponent swings it like they did.”
The Titans jumped on Jackson County with three runs in the first inning, one in the second and four more in the third.
Fountain said North Oconee “hit the ball better than anybody we’ve faced all year.”
“It was a very cleanly played game,” Fountain said. “They just out hit us.”
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