The Coffee Trojans won their 17th game of the season Tuesday in Blackshear over the Pierce County Bears. Coffee scored three in the first and one in the seventh to hold off the Bears.
Most of the Trojans’ offense came in the first inning. Ben Fussell walked then Jimmy Timothy bunted and reached on an error. Michael Strickland followed with a three-run home run to center on a 1-1 pitch, his fourth of the year. After allowing two Pierce runs in the sixth, Coffee got on the board for the final run of the game in the top of the seventh. Fussell doubled and both Timothy and Strickland drew walks to load the bases. Carter McMillan followed with a fly out to left that scored Fussell to give the Trojans a 4-2 lead. Pierce went quietly in the bottom of the inning to end the game.
Strickland had two hits, three RBI, and a run scored. He also threw a 91-pitch complete game, surrendering two earned runs on four hits while striking out seven and walking one. McMillan, Fussell, and Connor Stewart also had a hit.
The Trojans and Bears face each other again on Thursday afternoon at Charles Wilson Field in Douglas at 6 p.m. They wrap the season on Friday against Crisp County, also in Douglas. The playoffs begin next Wednesday with a road trip to Winder to face the Winder-Barrow Bulldoggs in a 3 p.m. doubleheader. Game three, if necessary, will take place Thursday at 5 p.m.