The Putnam County baseball team saw its 2022 season end at the hands of top-seed Vidalia this past Friday.
The Indians proved to be the better team on the diamond, defeating the No. 4-seed War Eagles 16-1 and 14-1, respectively.
Vidalia set the tone early in game one at the plate, scoring seven runs in the top of the first
The Indians never looked back after leadoff hitter Bryson Whited sent a solo shot off of Putnam County pitcher Ashton Jones over the left-field fence.
Jones struggled after that home run, walking two of the next three hitters before Jordan Walden and Caden Spivey had consecutive RBI hits. Both would score during the next at-bat as Kaleb Bennett singled, making it a 5-0 contest.
Bennett reached second base safely before Caleb Banks hit a grounder to Wesley Essick for the second out. Next, Bryce Davis hit a line drive to center field, scoring Bennett. Vidalia would add one more run before the inning was over.
The only bright spot in the contest for the War Eagles’was when leadoff hitter Jacob Grimes returned fire with a solo shot of his own off of Whited. The junior hurler was able to retire the next three PCHS batters to end the top of the second.
Vidalia would tack on four more runs in the bottom half of the second to lead, 11-1.
Additionally, the Indians secured five runs off of Dakota Jones and Hunter Holder to make the lead 16-1 after three innings, at which point the game was called due to the run rule.
Vidalia never took its foot off the gas, especially in game two. The Indians used their momentum from the first contest and kept their offensive push at a high level.
After not scoring in the first inning, they plated 11 runs in the top of the second off Putnam County pitcher Chase Lupton. The senior struggled as Vidalia kept its offense rolling.
The Indians would add three more runs before the War Eagle even got on the board.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, senior Gerald Kilgore took a fastball and drove it over the left-field fence. His final home run of the season made it a 14-1 contest.
Vidalia pitcher Kevin Cox closed out the game after the Indians failed to score in the top half of the fifth. He walked one but was able to retire the next three Putnam County hitters to secure the series victory in another 10-rule win.
Despite some troubles at the end of the season, Putnam County has a lot to be proud of.
The War Eagles made it to the postseason for the second consecutive year. They also reached the double-digit win mark for the second straight season.
Historically, Putnam County has not been a baseball school, although head coach Mike Phiel has turned the program around in the last two seasons.
The War Eagles will lose five seniors to graduation later this month, although they will return a lot of production from this year’s varsity roster in 2023.