If I told you that the Coffee Trojans scored 10 runs on 15 hits – two of which were doubles and two more where home runs – and one Coffee pitcher threw three innings, giving up one run on one hit while striking out four and walking one, you’d probably say that the Trojans had a pretty good day.
But that’s not the way Coffee’s game against the Ware County Gators went Tuesday at Charles Wilson Field.
The Gators also amassed 15 hits. But they pushed across 18 runs (also on 15 hits), including four home runs and nine RBI from Slade Sweat and another homer from Seth Suess. Landon Smallwood (4-5, two runs) and Isaiah White (3-5, two runs) also hit the ball well for Ware.
The Trojans got within one after two innings. They held Ware scoreless in the first then scored two on back-to-back home runs by Ben Fussell and Barrett Harrell to take a 2-0 lead. The Gators, however, plated seven in the second. Coffee answered with four in the bottom of the frame to narrow the gap to 7-6. Ware broke the game open with eight more in the third then added two in the fourth and one in the sixth. The Trojans managed one in the third and three in the fourth.
Reid Harden was 3-4 with two RBI and a run. Fussell, Will Walker, Gavin McElroy, and Eli Vickers had two hits. Walker and Fussell each drove in two. McElroy and Hunter Klesko doubled.
The Trojans used three pitchers in the game. McElroy started and went 2 1/3 innings while Evan Lingenfelter followed with 1 2/3 innings of work. Vickers closed out the game, throwing the final three innings.
The loss is Coffee’s fourth in a row after dropping three region games to the Houston County Bears last week. All of Region 2-5A is taking the week off from region play. Coffee and Ware play again on Friday in Waycross. The region schedule resumes next week with one more league series against Veterans.
The Trojans have a 12-10 overall record and a 5-7 region mark.
