A storm system that rolled through Barrow County Wednesday night gave the Coffee Trojans a little time to regroup after their first-round playoff game against the Winder-Barrow Bulldoggs. After what happened in game one, that’s probably not a bad thing.
The two teams were scheduled to play a doubleheader Wednesday then, if necessary, play game three Thursday. The weather, however, had other plans. The Bulldoggs defeated the Trojans 7-6 on a walk-off double after Coffee led most of the game. The Trojans jumped out to an early lead and kept fighting off the ‘Doggs. But they just couldn’t put them away for good. And in the end, the Bulldoggs bit back in a big way.
Following game one, thunder and lightning moved into the area. While it never rained, the lightning kept delaying the start of game two until finally, officials made the decision to not play the second game until Thursday. The second game of the series will begin at 1 p.m. with game three to follow if needed.
Game one started with a leadoff double from Ben Fussell. With Jimmy Timothy at the plate, Winder pitcher Logan Martin attempted to pick off Fussell. The ball got away from shortstop Kaleb Sorrell, allowing Fussell to move to third. Timothy grounded out to second, scoring Fussell. Coffee starter Michael Strickland followed with a walk. Zean Preston came in to run for Strickland but was forced at second on a fielder’s choice by Connor Stewart. Brax Carson was next with a walk, moving Stewart to second. Carter McMillan hit a grounder and reached on an error, scoring Stewart in the process.
The Trojans’ 2-0 lead held until the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Brett Bennett hit a solo home run to cut Coffee’s lead in half. In the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldoggs tied the game at two when Sorrell scored on a wild pitch.
The score didn’t stay tied for very long. In the sixth, the Trojans went up 4-2 when Fussell hit a hard ground ball that scored Will Walker and Taven Harden. Winder came back and tied the game again when Landon DuBose hit a one-out single to right, scoring Dom Lordo and Will Waits. Later in the same inning, the Bulldoggs went up 5-4 when Bryson Polk made it home on a wild pitch.
The Trojans, however, answered quickly. Strickland led off the seventh with a single. Stewart bunted to move Strickland into scoring position. A walk to Carson put runners on first and second with one out. Carter McMillan doubled to left, scoring Strickland and Carson – and giving Coffee a 6-5 advantage.
Strickland was still in the game when the bottom of the seventh rolled around. But he was getting near the maximum pitch count and he needed to work efficiently to put Winder away. Frankie Boyles pestered Strickland in a four-pitch at-bat that ended with an infield single. Lordo was next with a bunt that moved Boyle to second. Waits singled to center, driving in Boyle and tying the game at six.
Waits was the last batter Strickland faced; following his at-bat, Coffee head coach Scott Grove had to go to the bullpen. Weston Brown came in to face Sorrell, who greeted the senior reliever with a single, advancing Waits to second. Brown coerced pinch hitter JP Bell to fly out for the second out of the inning. DuBose, on the other hand, fared much better. He hit the first pitch he saw to center for a walk-off double that scored Waits. Winder had won 7-6.
Coffee’s top three hitters – Fussell, Timothy, and Strickland – were a combined 6-10 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a walk. Each of the three had two hits. Fussell, McMillan, and Timothy doubled.
Strickland threw 119 pitches in 6 1/3 innings. He was responsible for seven runs (five earned) on eight hits. He struck out eight and walked three.
The Trojans are now 18-13 on the season and are in a must-win situation to advance in the playoffs. First pitch on Thursday is scheduled for 1 p.m. The third and final game of the series will follow about a half an hour after the first game ends.