Ben Fussell, Eli Wood, and Taeven Harden homered while Barrett Harrell, Conley McDaniel, and Jimmy Timothy doubled in the Coffee Trojans’ 13-7 loss to the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets Tuesday at Charles Wilson Field in Douglas.
The Yellow Jackets let their intentions be known early, scoring five runs in the first (all on two outs) and two in the second to jump out to a big early lead. TCC sent Georgia Tech commit Reid Gainous to the mound; while the Trojans touched Gainous for three runs (two earned) on six hits, he had little trouble keeping Coffee at bay – especially given a seven-run, early-innings cushion. Gainous earned the win, striking out six and walking one. He was also 2-4 with a double and an RBI.
It looked like fans might be in for a shootout when Fussell led off the game for Coffee with an opposite field home run. But the Coffee offense cooled off quickly and managed just one run in the second and third innings. The Jackets extended their lead to 10-3 after four and a half innings. The Trojans answered with two in the fifth and two in the sixth. Then TCC scored three more in the seventh to pull ahead 13-7.
Taeven Harden was 2-4 with two RBI and three runs. Barrett Harrell was 2-3 with a run and a walk. Gavin McElory drove in two.
Coffee used four pitchers on Tuesday. Starter Eli Vickers took the loss in a two-inning outing. Evan Lingenfelter and Carter McMillan also lasted two innings while Eli Wood closed out the final inning.
The Trojans are 9-4 overall and 2-2 in region play. Coffee and Thomas County Central finish off the season series today with a doubleheader in Thomasville at 4:30 p.m.
