The Fannin County Rebel s baseball team traveled to Calhoun, Georgia, Saturday, February 29, for a double header against the Yellow Jackets.
Both teams played great defense, holding each other scoreless until the seventh inning, but it was the Yellow Jackets that made one more play in the bottom of the eighth inning to end the first game as Calhoun topped the Rebels 2-1.
The second game was much like the first, with both teams battling all game long, but Calhoun was able to score one run in the bottom of the seventh to win the game 4-3.
Matthew Shirah started on the hill in the first game, pitching five innings and striking out seven batters. Logan Hughes and Blake Rogers came on in relief with Hughes pitching an inning and striking out two batters, while Rogers pitched one and one third innings, striking out two.
Neither team could cross home plate in the first game until the top of the seventh inning when the Rebels batted. Blake Rogers slugged a home run right down center field to give Fannin a 1-0 lead. Calhoun was able to score a run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game 1-1 and force extra innings.
The Rebels could not generate anything at the plate in the top of the eighth inning as Calhoun got off the field. The Yellow Jackets were able to cross home plate one time in the bottom of the eighth as they took the first game 2-1.
After a short break the Rebels and Yellow Jackets played the second game of the evening. Carson Beavers started on the rubber, pitching six innings, striking out 11 batters. Brady Martin came on in relief, pitching one third of an inning, striking out one batter.
The Rebels jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first as Jerritt Holloway singled. Blake Rogers smashed his second home run of the evening over center field to bring courtesy runner Jacob Priesing and himself home for a 2-0 lead.
The Yellow Jackets were able to cross home plate twice in the second to tie the game 2-2. After a scoreless second inning the Yellow Jackets took the plate in the bottom of the third and was able to score a run to lead 3-2.
After a scoreless fourth and fifth innings, the Rebels batted in the top of the sixth. Holloway singled and his courtesy runner Priesing scored on a dropped third strike to tie the game 3-3.
The Rebels held the Yellow Jackets in the bottom of the sixth, but Fannin could not generate any runs in the top of the seventh.
Calhoun was able to score a run in the bottom of the seventh to seal the game as they topped the Rebels 4-3.