On Friday, the No. 9 Trojans dropped the season opener, 4-2, to Athens Academy, the No. 1-ranked team in Class A.
The Trojans gave up a run in the first, but battled back as Garett Burgess drove in the tying run in the fourth.
But the Spartans would score three runs in their final two at-bats, including a two-run scoring double in the bottom of the fifth.then held off a brief GL rally in the top of the seventh.
Gordon Lee had just two hits, but stranded 10 runners on base. Ryan Ellis took the loss, giving up three hits and striking out five in five innings. Zach Burns and Will Brooks had the only hits for the Trojans.
The Trojans would redeem themselves on Saturday and settled an old score in the process.
In both 2002 and 2003, Gordon Lee was eliminated in the playoffs by Prince Avenue Christian and on Saturday, the Trojans got a big dose of revenge with a 16-3, five-inning thumping.
The Trojans (1-1) left no doubt as to the outcome, scoring in every single inning and opening up a 9-1 lead after three before exploding for a six-run fifth.
Seniors Zach Burns and Scotty Mattos led the charge in the 12-hit attack. Burns had a home run, triple, six RBIs and two stolen bases while Mattos had a homer and three RBIs.
Daniel White and Tyler Beesley added two hits apiece while Beesley scored three times. Patrick Mattos added a double and scored two runs. Jake Sharrock got the win in relief of Patrick Mattos.
“Obviously, when you score 16 runs it’s a great day for the sticks,” said head coach Greg Payne, “but it was our approach that pleased me as much as anything. The kids were all disappointed in their showing on Friday night and really redeemed themselves today. We 10 runners on against Athens Academy and I doubt we left four on today.
“When the guys were in scoring position, we knocked them in. We took advantage of our opportunities and were aggressive at the plate. We will have to have many more days like that if we are going to compete in our region.”
The Trojans will travel to Kennesaw State on Thursday to play the No. 10-ranked team in AAA, the Washington County Golden Hawks. They return to Chickamauga on Saturday for the home opener against Landmark Christian at noon. The War Eagles eliminated the Trojans in last year’s first round of the playoffs.
Ringgold spoils LaFayette opener
The visiting Tigers erased a 5-1 third-inning deficit and beat the Ramblers in LaFayette Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.
After spotting the Tigers a run in the top of the first, LaFayette touched up Kyle Heckathorne for two in the first and three more in the third, but Ringgold chipped away at the lead with solo runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
The damage came in the top of the sixth as Ringgold (1-0, 0-0) scored six times. Seven straight batters reached base at one point with five straight base hits.
The Ramblers (0-1, 0-0) got a run in the bottom of the innings on a Nick Sholtz RBI-double, but left two runners stranded in scoring position.
“We got up 5-1 and went on cruise control,” said LaFayette head coach Jay Rodgers. “Give Ringgold credit chipping away, but there’s a lot more positives for us that negatives. They kids are disappointed they lost, but pretty upbeat because they see things they need to work on and saw a little of what they can do and how good they can be.”
Sholtz, Matthew Yarbrough and Jonathan Ariail each had two
hits for LaFayette. Ariail collected three RBIs
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