Jackets split with Wayne and TCC

Jeff Davis High’s baseball team split two games on a chilly, windy day in Thomasville Saturday, falling 7-6 to Wayne County and defeating Thomas County Central 4-1 in a battle of three teams of Yellow Jackets.
For the two games, 4th ranked Class 2A Jeff Davis out hit their two opponents — 10th ranked Class 6A Thomas County Central and 6th ranked Class 4A Wayne County — 15-2. And in earned runs, JD held a 9-1 advantage. But six errors marred the day and led to Jeff Davis’ first loss of the season.
The loss to Wayne was a tough pill to swallow as the Yellow Jackets from Jesup got six unearned runs as the Jackets from Hazlehurst committed five errors. The first inning was a nightmare for JD starting pitcher Andrew White as three walks, a hit batter and two errors allowed Wayne to score five runs on just two hits. Only one run was earned. White settled down after that and did not give up another earned run in four innings on the mound, but errors led to two more Wayne runs.
In the top of the first inning, Jeff Davis loaded the bases with just one out. But they managed only one run on a bases-loaded walk to Jackson Sayer.
In the bottom half of the inning, everything seemed to go wrong as Wayne took a 5-1 lead.
But Jeff Davis battled back. In the top of the second, Ethan Picanso and Hayden Turner got singles and Alex Mason drove in a run with a single to make it 5-2.
Wayne got another unearned run in the second to go up 6-2.
JD tied it up with a 4-run fourth. Picanso started things with a single followed by a bunt single from Cason Clance. Eli Saunders then walked to load the bases. Turner’s sacrifice fly to center cut the score to 6-3. Mason followed with a 2-run single to make it 6-5. Mason took second on the throw, went to third on a balk and went to home with the tying run on a passed ball.
But in the bottom of the inning with one out, Wayne’s A. Hall hit a long fly ball in the gap between right and center. As Clance zeroed in to make the catch, he collided with right fielder Turner and the ball fell to the ground. Hall made it all the way to third and scored on a pop foul out behind first base.
Jeff Davis out-hit Wayne 7-2. Mason led Jeff Davis at the plate with a pair of singles and three RBI. Picanso singled twice, Turner singled and drove in a run, Saunders and Clance both singled and Sayer had an RBI.
White pitched four innings, giving up one earned run on two hits, walked three, hit one and struck out four. Colby Beach no-hit Wayne in two innings on the mound, walking one and striking out one.
Mullis had a good day behind the plate, catching two Wayne runners on steal attempts.
In the Thomas County Central game, junior hurler Duke Stone got his first start of the season and it was a roaring start. He needed only 12 pitches to strike out the side in the first, and 16 to strike out the side in the second.
He cooled off in the third, loading the bases with three walks, but added two more strikeouts. With two more strikeouts in the fourth he left the mound with 10 Ks in four innings.
Jeff Davis got all the runs they needed in the third as they put three on the board.
Clance opened the third with a single, went to second on an error and scored on a turner single to center. After Mullis walked and Stone was hit by a pitch, the bases were loaded with two outs. Picanso followed with a 2-run double to give JD a 3-0 lead.
Thomas County got an unearned run in the fifth off relief pitcher Clance but, in the top of the seventh, Jeff Davis got the run back on consecutive 2-out singles by Turner, Mason and Mullis.
Turner paced JD at the plate with a double, two singles and an RBI. Picanso doubled and drove in two runs, Mills had a single and an RBI, and Mason, Sayer and Clance each singled.
Stone, Clance and Mason combined for a no-hitter on the mound, Stone went four innings, walking four and striking out 10. Clance pitched two innings, yielding one walk, hitting one and fanning four. Mason threw the final inning, striking out two.
Score by innings:
JDHS 1 1 0 4 0 0 0 -6
WCHS 5 1 0 1 0 0 x -7

JDHS 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 -4
TCC 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 -1