Varsity Baseball Canes Defeat Redskins

The Monticello Hurricane varsity baseball squad won a doubleheader last Friday at Social Circle to start the season undefeated in region play.

The baseball varsity squad is led by first year head coach Brady McMichael. The first of the two games was a sound 11-0 victory for the Canes with three runs in the first inning, one in the fourth, two in the fifth, and five in the sixth.

The Redskins provided a bit more competition in the second game but the Canes prevailed 3-2.

They are currently 3-3 for the season with their first game of the season against Lamar figuring into the win column. They had narrow losses to Mount de Sales Academy, 3-1, and First Presbyterian Day High School, 1-0, before falling to Jackson High School by a margin of eight runs.

“We have had our good moments and bad moments thus far,” said Coach McMichael. “Last Wednesday we went to Jackson and were very competitive for about five innings and then we lost focus and started playing sloppy and ended up losing 12-4.. Trent Maddox stood out in that game especially on the mound. He was able to throw strikes and keep a very good hitting team from doing what they wanted.

As for the game against Social Circle, the coach said it was a very different story.

“We came out ready to play from the first pitch and ended up winning the first game in six innings. Cole Hays earned the win in the first game throwing all six innings while only giving up one hit and striking out 11. We swung the bat very well from top to bottom in the first game as we had 12 hits.”

Tyler Wages led the team in game one against the Redskins with three hits and Baylor Edge, Mac Barton, and Graeme Williams all had two hits a piece.

In game two it was a fight, noted the coach. Pitcher Myles Proctor came in during the second inning in relief of Matt Cain (injury) and held a good hitting team at bay for the rest of the game. Proctor pitched a solid six innings and scattered three hits, struck out four, while allowing zero earned runs. It was also his first varsity win. Coach said that their bats were not as hot as they were during the first game as the team only had four hits in game two.

“I have been telling our kids all season that in order for us to have success we must do the little things right. In the second inning we were able to do that.”

Tristan Humphreys singled in Justyn Fields for the team to take a 1-0 lead. Cain also executed a perfect squeeze to score Barton to give the Canes the lead 2-0. Social Circle battled back and tied it at two in the bottom of the fifth. The ‘Canes were able to take the lead again in the top of the sixth as Maddox doubled down the right field line. He was able to move to third on a passed ball and was brought in by Fields with two outs. Coach McMichael said Proctor pitched great the last two innings and was able to shut Social down.

“It is always nice to pick up two huge region wins but we still have to get better in different aspects of the game. This Friday will really tell us how good of a team we have as we travel to Banks County for a doubleheader,” said the head coach.