The Gilmer Bobcats baseball team traveled to Cartersville to take on the Purple Hurricanes. The Purple Hurricanes produced a monsoon of runs as Cartersville ran away from Gilmer 13-0.Bobcat Austin White led off for Gilmer. White’s walk increased his already high on base percentage. Things began to look up for the Bobcats early, as White stole both second and third; with another walk the Cartersville coach headed to the mound to settle his pitcher down. He did just that, with one K and a double play the Bobcats’ threat was over.

White took to the mound for the Bobcats. He hit one batter, the first of three batters hit by Bobcat pitchers. Some Gilmer fans felt that the Hurricane batters were crowding the plate and maybe even leaning into the ball. White went on to give up two singles with one resulting into an R.B.I. before getting out of the inning.

Gilmer went into the second inning down 1-0. The Purple Hurricane pitcher settled in and was throwing strong; however, Colt Henderson hit a fastball for a stand up double. The run the Bobcats needed was now on base but Henderson got caught in a run down between second and third resulting in the last out of the inning, and the Bobcats coming up empty again.

The Hurricanes adjusted to White in the bottom of the second. With one run already scored White found himself with runners on second and third with two outs. He walked the next batter to give the Hurricanes bases loaded with two outs. As pressure mounted Cartersville batter, Jamieson, stepped into the box and ripped the cover off the ball for a three run base clearing stand up double. The Bobcats would get the next batter out to retire the side but not before giving up four runs. This made the score 5-0 bottom of the second.

Top of the third went quickly for the Bobcat with no results. Ryan Lowery walked followed by White’s sac bunt moving him to second but the Bobcats would leave him stranded. The bottom of the third also went quickly for the Hurricanes. White made it through the third, managing to get off the hill without giving up any runs.

As the top of the forth started the Bobcats found themselves down 5-0. However, after giving up no runs in the third, the Bobcats hoped to get the bats going and get back into this game. The home town Hurricanes had other plans, as Cartersville quickly retired the side, allowing no batters to reach first base.

Gilmer hoped to hold Cartersville in the bottom of the forth and claw back into the game in the fifth. That did not happen. With bases loaded, Gilmer head coach, Kyle Barr, called Sawyer Thompson to the mound. He would walk the next batter and then give up a hard hit to right center. After seven runs and only one out, Barr headed to the mound to try to slow things down. Thompson then gave up one more run before retiring the side. This put the Hurricanes up 13-0.

The Cartersville coach knew that if the Bobcats did not score at least four runs in the top of the fifth he would be able to take advantage of the 10 run mercy rule after five innings. He brought in his closer. Throwing a multitude of fast balls, the closer struck out two and caused one to ground out. The game ended with Cartersville winning 13-0 after five and half innings.

The last time the Bobcats scored was the second inning of the Ridgeland game and that run came on an error not a hit. Nine dry innings. Maybe the Bobcats will be able to get the bats going Thursday night when they face S.E. Whitfield at home.