Bobcats Fall Despite Last Inning Rally

The series finale in the Hwy 515 rivalry between the Bobcats and Dragons took place at Gilmer High School on Friday with the excitement of game 7 of the World Series and your favorite team is playing at home.

The Cats pushed across their first run in the bottom half of the first to cut the Pickens lead to two runs after a 3 run top of the first for the visiting team.    The Dragons extended their advantage with 3 more in the second and 6 more runs in the third for 12-2 score over the hometeam Cats.  Both teams added a run each to bring the Dragons up 13-3 as the bottom half of the 7th inning started.  With a double-digit loss looking to be the outcome, the Gilmer bats heated up in their last chance at the plate and put up 9 runs to battle back and put Pickens in a doubtful state of mind of walking away with a win.  In the exciting seventh for the Cats, the comeback started when Evan Frady crossed on an Austin Daman single.  The Cats pounded out 7 singles and 2 walks for 9 total runs before Coach Williams brought in Caswell Smith to close out what was looking to be a miracle comeback.

This game saw these two teams rack up 24 hits, 24 runs and 9 errors in seven innings.  The 11 runs scored by the Bobcats came on 10 hits.  Doing the work for Gilmer at the plate was Hunter Bowyer(2 for 3 with 1 RBI and 2 runs scored to lead the Cats.  Of the 12 players(9 batters and 3 courtesy runners) that made in on to the field, 7 had RBI’s on the night.  Coach Jeff Thurman sent 4 Cats to the hill for Gilmer.  Jess Buckner went 3.1 innings with 4 hits, 1 run, 4 strikeouts, and 1 walk, Tyler Wright threw 1.1 innings allowing 3 hits, 6 runs(all earned), 3 walks and no strikeouts.  Avery Bertolini and Hunter Bowyer also made appearances for Gilmer,  Bertolini went 1.1 innings giving up 6 runs on 7 hits, a strikeout and 4 walks.  Bowyer threw a perfect top of the seventh with no runs, no hits, no walks, and 2 strikeouts.

The Cats are set to face the Lafayette Ramblers on Tuesday for a 3 game region series.