Canes Have Busy Stretch on the Diamond

ith McMichael fouling off consecutive pitches to stay alive, he went down swinging. Pitcher Tom Schilling ended the inning with a flyout, but the Hurricanes were up, 2-0.

In the bottom of the second, a two out double, followed by a single gave Monroe Area their first run of the game, and in the bottom of the third a two-run home run put the homesteading Walton County opponents ahead at 3-2

The score stood as such until the bottom of the sixth, when Monroe Area was able to push across seven runs with the help of fielding errors, shoddy defensive play, and timely hitting against Hays, who had been brought in in relief of starter Schilling in the bottom of the fifth commenced to promptly strike out the side.

The sixth was a different story though, and it gave the final margin for the game as the score showed 10-2 final.

Diamond Days

The final games of the week took place at the Hurricane home field last Saturday for the first of two Diamond Day events the Monticello baseball program will be holding.

In the first game for the Hurricanes, four singles and a walk plated three runs for the visiting Loganville Christian squad and gave them the lead at 3-0. In the home half, the Hurricanes were able to chip away at the lead, scoring a run after a Sands single to right, a stolen base, and a stand-up double to left that carried all the way to the wall, hitting right under the top of the fence.

This cut the lead and gave the Hurricanes some momentum, with Hays advancing to third on an McMichael ground out. On the next batter, Hays was tagged out at the plate on an attempted squeeze by the Hurricanes. A strikeout ended the inning, and the Canes were down 3-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Hurricanes were able to piece together a small rally to retake the lead, with the first six batters able to reach base. Cohran reached on an error and Aguirre was hit-by-pitch to lead off the inning.

Cohran was then picked off during Sands’ at-bat for the first out of the inning.

As the baseball gods work, Sands then hit a single through the left side to put runners on first and second again. The next batter, Hays hit a scorching worm burner to third, which the third baseman mishandled, loading the bases for McMichael who hit a liner to right and scored Campbell (who had come on to courtesy run for Aguirre) and Sands. Hays reached third on the hit, and was driven in on a fielder’s choice to short by Schilling, forcing McMichael out at second.

After a pitching change, Gabe Evans struck out to end the inning, and end the scoring for the day for the Hurricanes, who were clinging to a one-run lead. In the top of the fifth though, the wheels came off again, errors, walks, HBP, and timely hitting led to six runs for the Lions of Loganville Christian, which ended the scoring for the game as both teams were held scoreless for the duration of the game with Loganville Christian on top 9-4.

In the final game of the week for the Hurricanes, the Tigers of Alcovy came calling. After holding the Tigers at bay through the first four innings, allowing two in the first and single runs in the second and third, the Hurricanes chipped into the score in the bottom of the fourth. Riley Savage led off with a single between short and third for the Canes which was gloved by the shortstop, but he beat the throw.

After a strikeout, Savage advanced to second, and then to third with one out. Schilling then popped a single into right field over the head of the second baseman, scoring Savage. This was the only run of the game for the Hurricanes as the Tigers piled on runs in the top of the sixth inning, a sixth inning that was marred by controversial calls, controversial coaches, and questionable ejections.

The Hurricanes returned to the diamond this week with a home game Tuesday versus Georgia Military in a JV/varsity doubleheader. They were to face Jackson on Wednesday and they return home for action today, March 2 against Monroe Area.

The second Diamond Day will be on Saturday. The Canes will be lining up with Lincoln County at 11 a.m., followed by Portal and Lincoln County playing at 2 p.m., with the Hurricanes ending the day colliding against the Portal Panthers at 5 p.m.

Come out and support the Hurricanes!

Hurricane Leaders

Batting

Chevy Sands – 7/16 (H/AB), 7 Runs, 5 SB, .438 BA, .571 OBP

Tres Cohran – 5/15, 3 Runs, 4 RBI, .333 BA, .500 OBP

Hunter Hays – 5/16, 4 Runs, 3 RBI, 2 2B, 1 SB, .313 BA, .353 OBP

Pitching

Tom Schilling – 11.1 IP, 4.94 ERA, 10 K

Hunter Hays – 10.1 IP, 6.77 ERA, 23 K (93 career)

Region 5-A, Division 1 (2/27/2023)

Prince Avenue 5-0-1

Social Circle 4-2

Oglethorpe Co. 3-5

Monticello 1-5