BAXLEY — Commerce’s bid for its first semifinal appearance since 1996 came to an end Thursday in a tough 6-4 loss to Schley County in the Class A Public playoffs.
The Tigers fell behind 2-0 after the first inning and was not able to chase down the Wildcats. Commerce pulled within 2-1 in the second on an RBI single by Hayden Hutto scoring Will Slater.
The Wildcats pushed the lead to 3-1 on a home run by Ashton Goodin in the fourth and added three more in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk, and error, and a ground out for a 6-1 lead.
Commerce mounted a rally in the sixth plating two runs on a pair of Schley County errors. In the seventh, the Tigers got the go-ahead run to the plate after Kane Goldman walked with the bases loaded to trim the lead to 6-4.
But Hutto popped out to center with the bases loaded to end the game and the series.
Colby Rogers and Tucker Maloch combined to surrender eight hits and just three earned runs on the mound. But Commerce, after scoring 11 runs in a Game 2 win on Wednesday, managed just five hits and none for extra bases in Game 3.
