SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — Social Circle moved one step closer to a playoff berth on Wednesday with a doubleheader split with Jasper County. The Hurricanes took the final game of the series, but the ‘Skins grabbed wins of 3-2 and 7-3.
The first game of the season took place on Tuesday and was highlighted by a strong start from Social Circle’s Jake Frachiseur, who pitched 6.1 innings of one-run ball.
Frachisuer’s outing was the first of three quality starts for the Redskins in the series. Although it did not end with a sweep, head coach Chris Davis spoke about the importance of getting length out of his starting pitchers.
“Anytime you have a three game series, especially when you play back-to-back days, it is big when your pitchers can go four, five innings,” Davis said. “With the pitching limits, it is real easy to have someone pitch on day one and they are not available for day two. They pitch a certain amount and that day of rest can catch them. It is huge for the pitching depth.”
‘Skins ride five-run first to a 7-3 win to clinch series
The Redskins clinched the series with a game two win that saw Social Circle do most of its damage early.
Garrett Brooks started game two for Davis and picked up where Frachiseur left off as he pitched around a two-out walk to have a scoreless first.
Brayden Allen lined out to start the bottom half of the frame, but the second out did not come as easy for Jasper County.
Ian Miller and Brooks reached base before Cooper Davis scored the game’s first run on a ground ball. Brooks hit a rocket on the ground to second baseman Owen Houston, but the ball went right through his legs and into the outfield.
After Miller raced home, Brooks later scored on a wild pitch. To make matters worse for Jasper County, Zach Smallwood added another run with a RBI single up the middle.
Later in the inning, Barrett Bramlett delivered a two-run knock to put the final touches on what proved to be a dream start for Social Circle.
While Davis hoped to see his team continue the strong start, he had a glowing review of his lineup in the early going.
“I liked the way we came out and scored five runs,” Davis said. “What I didn’t like is that we didn't keep our foot on the gas. It would have been nice to come out and score a few more runs after that. Credit to Jasper for settling down. They had a few quick one-two-three innings and then got a couple of runs and got confidence on their side. For us, it would have been nice to put the game away. But at the same time, it was nice to have the lead and not panic to get the win.”
Brooks returned to form on the mound and pitched one-two-three frames in both the second and third innings.
Following a RBI fielder’s choice from Aiden Baird, the Hurricanes put together their first rally of the day.
Brooks walked Houston to lead off the inning before Brelynd Beasley smoked an RBI single into center field. Wailer Sands then reached base on a hit by pitch to add on to Brooks' pressure.
Sands took off for second base not too long after, but the throw from Baird was offline and made its way into the outfield. The error allowed Sands to race home from third to cut the lead down to 2-6.
When Houston reached once again in the fifth, Davis made the move on the mound.
After spending the game in the field, Smallwood took over for Brooks and recorded the final out of the frame on just two pitches.
The Social Circle offense had another empty inning in the fifth, which allowed Jasper County to cut the lead down even more.
Following a fly out to start the sixth, Smallwood walked back-to-back batters. One pitch later, Cope Durand laced a single into left field. The lead runner was originally going to stay put at third, but Social Circle left fielder Jake Blankenship bobbled the relay, which allowed the runner to score.
In need of an answer, Social Circle got exactly that in the final frame.
Not too long after a leadoff single from Cory Lilly, Blankenship made up for the miscue with a RBI knock up the middle for an insurance run.
However, Smallwood did not need it.
Smallwood plunked the second batter of the frame, but made quick work of the final two batters to close out game two with a 7-3 win.
Hurricanes salvage final game of series with 7-5 win
The Redskins looked well on their way to a three-game sweep with an early 2-0 lead, but seven runs between the fourth and sixth innings sealed the deal for Jasper County.
Logan Moss started the game and found himself in quick trouble with a leadoff single. Moss later doubled off Houston for the second out, but consecutive walks extended an already long first inning for the ‘Skins starter.
Sands watched a ball go by before he grounded into an inning-ending fielder’s choice as Moss escaped the jam.
After a pair of scoreless frames, Social Circle broke through for a pair of runs in the second inning.
Cooper doubled to lead off the frame before Smallwood scored him on an RBI single to left field. One batter later, Smallwood scored on an error as the caught-stealing attempt went over the head of the third baseman and into left field.
Jasper County struggled to find its footing in the box early, but the Canes started to break it open in the fourth inning.
Kayson Hobbs scored the first run for Jasper County on a RBI double before he later tied the game on a wild pitch.
One inning later, Jasper County mounted another rally as it loaded the bases on Moss.
Davis made the move for Gibson Knapp, but the Hurricanes still grabbed the go-ahead run as they drew a bases-loaded walk off the Redskins’ new arm.
One pitch later, Hobbs ambushed Knapp for a RBI single to make it a 4-2 lead for the Hurricanes.
Back-to-back triple from Blankenship and Bramlett trimmed the lead to one, but it was a RBI knock from Allen that tied the game at 4-4.
Miller hit what looked to be the final out, but a costly error allowed the ‘Skins No. 2 batter to reach. Brooks then worked a long 2-2 count before he scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly.
Down 4-5, Jasper County came through with yet another answer.
With two runners on, a RBI knock from Beasley tied the game at 5-5. Following a walk from Sands, Tyler Ripley sent the first pitch of the at-bat to left field to score the go-ahead run to give the lead right back to the Canes.
Hobbs struck out in the next-at bat, but the ball got past the backstop. Hobbs beat an offline throw at first, but it also allowed Sands to score from third to make it a two-run lead.
The ‘Skins looked to mount an immediate rally as the first two men reached in the sixth, but it amounted to nothing as Jasper County’s Evan Diaz recorded the next three outs in order.
Social Circle went on to get the leadoff man on once again in the seventh and later loaded the bases, but Diaz got the strikeout over Lilly to end the game.
Even with the loss, the ‘Skins left Wednesday with their fourth region series win in as many attempts.
“At the end of the day we took two out of three and won the series, which was big for us,” Davis said. “The other three big teams in the region, we have won the series against all of them, so that was a nice thing to happen.”
What’s next
Social Circle has five games left on the slate and they will start with a home game against Lake Oconee Academy(16-3, 11-1 Region 8A-Division II) on Monday, April 13. On Tuesday, the Redskins will begin their final region series of the year as they play the first of three games against the Towers Titans(0-24, 0-13 Region 4A-Division I).
