FORT VALLEY, Ga. — Cherokee Bluff used a five-run sixth to rally for a 6-4, Game 1 win over Peach County on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Class 3A playoffs.
The Bears (26-11) can secure a spot in next week’s championship series with a win in Game 2, which should start around 7 p.m.
The Bears had managed just two hits and trailed 3-1 against Trojans’ starter Jackson Peavy, who also had fanned 9 through the first five innings. But the Bluff offense came alive with one out in the sixth, sending 10 batters to the plate.
KT Thompson walked to lead off the inning and stole second and third before Jordan Wilkerson doubled him home to cut the lead to 3-2. Cody Bridger then smashed the second pitch he saw for a two-run homer to give Bluff a 4-3 lead and knock Peavy, who had thrown 115 pitches, out of the game. It's the most runs that Peavy has allowed in a game this season.
But the Bears weren’t done. Tucker Holton, Bubba Coleman, and Landon Kemp all walked and Ryan Reynolds ripped an RBI single and Bryce Fontenot followed with a sacrifice fly for a 6-3 lead.
While the offense was able to find its groove, Gabe Gwder was superb once again for Bluff. The senior lefty scattered five hits but walked five while limiting a Trojans offense that came in averaging nearly 11 runs/game on the season. He struck out seven.
Peach County (34-3) added a run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 6-4 but Gowder was able to close out the win, getting out of a jam with the tying run at the plate.
