On a blistery, bitter, frosty night that was, “cooler than a polar bear’s toe nails” the Gilmer Bobcats baseball team traveled to Pickens County for a “home” game against the Ramblers of Lafayette. In the bottom of the 13th inning the Bobcats pulled out a victory when Forrest Bramlett, hit a shot to deep right field that scored Marlen Hensley, giving Gilmer a 5-4 win in the sixth extra inning.The game began with both teams scoring two runs in the first inning. Gilmer pitcher, Shane Dale, walked the first batter, who was thrown out at second base during the following bunt single. Consecutive RBI’s made the score 2-0, however Gilmer stopped the bleeding with a great defensive tag out at second base to close out the top of the inning.

Austin White, leading off for the Bobcats, began the game with a fleet footed triple and was quickly brought in by Hensley’s RBI single on the very next at bat. After a couple of walks loaded the bases, Brooks Hale tied the game with an RBI single. The score remained tied when the Bobcats’ next two batters struck and ground out respectively.

(Photo by LT Melton)

Scoring was non existent for the next four innings as both teams played defense stingier than Scrooge McDuck. The Ramblers broke the scoring drought in the top of the fifth. After a walk and a steal of second base on an errant pitch, the lead off batter scored on a deep sacrifice fly making the score 3-2 in Lafayette’s favor. The Bobcats’ batters were retired in three straight to close the fifth.

The sixth inning saw the Ramblers increase the lead to 4-2. Many of the Rambler faithful felt the lead should have been increased, but two straight throws to first base that may or may not have beaten the runner, depending on which crowd base was giving the opinion, ended the Ramblers’ run. The Bobcats cut the lead to one in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI sacrifice ground out.

Hensley was brought in the top of the seventh to pitch relief. He struck out the first two batters he faced, and following a Rambler single, he got the last out, via ground out. The Bobcats took advantage of the “last” at bat when both Hensley, and Teague, walked to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt by Bramlett moved both runners over, and following another walk and sacrifice fly, the game was tied at 4-4.

(Photo by LT Melton)

Neither team was able to score in the first few plethora of extra innings, as the temperature continued to drop like “pants on the ground,” until the Ramblers scored a run in the top of the 13th to make the score 5-4. The Bobcats, however, battled back in the bottom of the inning. Following a lead off strike out, White hit a double to left field, followed by him stealing third. Marlen Hensley reached first on an infield error. White scored on the same play, tying the game. Another Ramblers error allowed Teague to get to first, and with men on first and third, Bramlett ended the game with the aforementioned RBI shot to right field.