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Eathan Rees (8) delivers a pitch during the Lions' game against Yantis Monday. Rees earned the victory in his 4 2/3 relief innings, striking out 12 batters while allowing just two walks and one earned run in the Lions' 16-7 victory. Photo by DJ Spencer
Four players score three runs each
GILMER — The Saltillo Lions earned a hard fought victory Monday, rallying to beat the Yantis Owls 16-7 at Union Hill High School. After trailing 7-4 through the first four innings, the Lions responded with 12 unanswered runs to take home the win.
The game was originally supposed to be played at Yantis High School, but was moved to Union Hill High School due to wet field conditions.
The Lions stepped up to the plate first. They immediately gained a runner when Lucas Womack hit a single. Soon after, another runner was gained when Tobin Potter walked.
On the next at-bat, Mason Stillwagoner hit a 2-RBI single, bringing Womack and Potter home and giving the Lions a 2-0 lead. Consecutive outs followed when Kolbe Cook grounded out and Draden Boyd struck out.
Dylan Teel would then hit an RBI double, bringing Stillwagoner home and extending the Lions’ lead to 3-0. The Lions’ turn came to an end when Eathan Rees struck out.
The Owls came to the plate next, where they faced Potter on the mound. They immediately gained two runners on a runner reaching on a dropped third strike and a single. Soon after, the Owls scored on a steal of home, trimming the score to 3-1.
Following a strikeout, an RBI single brought home another run, as the Owls cut the score to 3-2. Potter then struck out the next two batters, ending the first inning, with the Lions holding a narrow lead.
The second inning started with Jordan Metcalf and Grayson Gurley striking out. After a runner was gained when Womack walked, the Lions’ turn ended when Potter struck out.
The bottom of the second inning began with a walk. Later on, the Owls scored on an error, tying the score at 3-3. This was followed by another walk.
Two outs would follow on a strikeout and a ground out. After the Owls gained another run on a hit by pitch, a fly out would close out the second inning, with the score tied at 3-3.
The third inning started with Stillwagoner hitting a fly ball for an out. This was followed by Cooke being walked. Later on, Cooke scored on a wild pitch, putting the Lions ahead at 4-3.
Boyd struck out on the next at-bat. Though another runner was gained when Teel walked, their turn ended when Rees struck out.
The bottom of the third inning began with a strikeout. The Owls then gained two runners on a walk and a single. Later on, a run was scored on a wild pitch, knotting the score up at 4-4.
The bases then loaded up on a pair of walks. After than, Potter was relieved by Rees on the mound.
Following a strikeout, a runner reached base on a dropped third strike, and a run was scored, giving the Owls a 5-4 lead. Another run was scored on a wild pitch, extending Yantis’ lead to 6-4. The third out occurred when a runner was caught stealing third base, closing out the third inning.
The fourth inning kicked off with Metcalf and Gurley both grounding out. After Womack hit a double, the Lions’ turn ended when Potter grounded out.
The bottom of the fourth inning started with a walk. Following consecutive strikeouts, the Owls scored on a steal of home, extending their lead to 7-4. Another strikeout followed, bringing the fourth inning to a close.
The fifth inning started with Stillwagoner hitting a fly ball for an out. This was followed by Cooke and Boyd both hitting singles.
On the next at-bat, Teel hit an RBI double, bringing Cooke home and trimming the score to 7-5. Soon after, Boyd scored on a steal of home, cutting the score to 7-6.
Rees would then hit an RBI single, bringing Teel home and tying the score at 7-7. The Lions’ turn would end after Metcalf grounded out and Gurley lined out.
The bottom of the fifth inning began with a walk. From there, Rees struck out the next three batters, ending the fifth inning.
The sixth inning started with Womack striking out. After Potter walked, Stillwagoner brought Potter home with an RBI triple, giving the Lions an 8-7 lead.
Cooke would hit a fly ball for an out next, but Stillwagoner scored after tagging up, extending the Lions’ lead to 9-7. Two more runners were then gained when Boyd reached base on a dropped third strike, and Teel was hit by a pitch.
Rees then hit a 2-RBI single, bringing Boyd and Teel home and increasing the Lions’ lead to 11-7. Later on, Rees scored on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 12-7. Metcalf walked next, but the Lions’ turn would end when Metcalf was picked off at first base.
The bottom of the sixth inning started with a pair of strikeouts. After the next batter was hit by a pitch, a ground out brought the sixth inning to an end.
The seventh inning started with Gurley grounding out and Womack striking out. A runner was then gained when Potter walked.
Stillwagoner would then hit an RBI single, bringing Potter home and raising the score to 13-7. Another runner was gained when Cooke hit a single.
Soon after, Stillwagoner scored on a passed ball, bringing the score to 14-7. This was followed by Boyd being walked. Later on, Cooke scored on a steal of home, extending the Lions’ lead to 15-7.
Following a single by Teel, Boyd scored on a wild pitch, making the score 167. Unfortunately, the Lions’ turn ended when Teel was caught stealing home.
The Owls were retired in order during the bottom of the seventh inning following a ground out and a pair of strikeouts, as the Lions capped off a 16-7 victory.
As a team, the Lions batted 14 for 33 (.424) from the plate. Cooke, Stillwagoner, and Teel would lead the way with three hits each. Rees and Womack added two hits each, while Boyd tallied one hit.
Boyd, Cooke, Potter, and Stillwagoner shared the title of leading scorer with three runs each. Teel scored two runs, while Rees and Womack added one run a piece.
Potter started the game on the mound. Over 2 1/3 innings, he struck out six batters, allowing six earned runs, five walks, and three hits. Rees earned the win in his 4 2/3 relief innings, striking out 12 batters and allowing just two walks and one earned run.
With the win, the Lions end the regular season at 4-2 in district and 8-5 overall. They will now focus on the playoffs.
The Lions will take on the Avery Bulldogs in the Bi-District round of the playoffs, in a one-game playoff. The game will be Saturday, 7 p.m. at Atlanta High School. The winner will play Union Hill in the Regional Quarterfinals.