The Coffee Trojans rode the momentum for as long as they could. Thursday night in Brunswick, they ran out of gas. The Trojans traveled to Brunswick on a 10-game winning streak that included four consecutive postseason wins in which they outscored their opponents 41-7. Starter Gavin McElroy won three of the four playoff games and the Coffee offense looked as good as anyone’s in the state.
However, the Brunswick Pirates, coached by former Coffee Trojan and then-South Georgia College Tiger Greg Roberts, were unimpressed. And they let their feelings be known on Thursday night.
The Pirates stymied the Trojans, winning game one 10-0 in five innings and game two 6-1. Coffee never could find any kind of groove and managed just five hits over the two games.
In game one, Brunswick opened the floodgates with a six-run third inning, aided and abetted by three Coffee errors. From there, it just got worse. The Pirates scored three more in the fourth and, leading 9-0 in the bottom of the fifth, scored a 10th run that invoked the mercy rule on a sacrifice fly that scored a run on a tag from third.
The Trojans never could figure out Brunswick starter Trenton Robinson, who went the distance, allowing just two hits while striking out two and walking three. Morgan Lewis and Eli Wood were the only Trojans to get hits off Robinson.
Coffee, meanwhile, used three pitchers in the game. McElroy started and made it 3 2/3 innings, giving up nine runs (only three of which were earned) on eight hits. He struck out three and walked four. McElroy also took a shot off his leg in that pivotal third inning. It was a scary moment that almost ended his day. Later in the game, the Trojans lost catcher Eli Vickers to an injury. Reid Harden went down with another injury in the nightcap.
Speaking of game two, it didn’t go much better for Coffee. The Trojans scored their lone run in the fourth inning when Will Walker hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored Barrett Harrell. Ben Fussell, Reid Harden, and Harrell had the only hits for Coffee.
Wood started and threw a 96-pitch complete game. He allowed six runs (four earned) on nine hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
Brunswick’s Colt Howes threw a complete game of his own, allowing one earned run on three hits while striking out three and walking two. He stayed under the 100-pitch mark, throwing 90 pitches in the seven innings.
The Trojans ended the season with a 22-13 overall record and trip to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. They also hosted and won a home playoff series for the first time in a good while.
Coach Roberts and the Pirates advance to the semifinals and will host the winner of the Villa Rica v. Loganville game next weekend.
