Atlanta Rabbits notch Area title
Atlanta’s baseball team added more hardware to its trophy case after sealing an Area championship last week.
The Rabbs edged New Diana in both games and stood tall when it counted to keep the Eagles from mounting comebacks. Atlanta won the contests by scores of 6-5 and 4-3.
Game One
The Rabbs scored early and had a 6-2 lead going into the final frame. New Diana plated three runs to bring it to 6-5 but the Rabbs shut it down and hung on for the win.
Atlanta scored three runs in the second inning with two outs against them. Corbin Farmer reached base on a fielding error and then Peyton Gaston crushed a double to left field.
Peyton Harrison singled in Farmer and Jaden Riley cleared the bases with a solid double to left field.
New Diana scored a run in the top half of the third stanza but the Rabbs countered with a run of its own after Dex Ebarb singled and later scored on a triple off the bat of Easton Owens.
The Eagles scored again in the fifth to cut the lead to 4-2 but the Rabbits added three runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame to take a commanding 6-2 lead.
In that inning, Ebarb hit a single facing on an 0-2 count, Nick Burden doubled on a 2-2 count and Owens plated an RBI on an infield hit.
The final Rabbit run came via a groundball fielder’s choice off the bat of Farmer. New Diana put together a solid plan for a comeback and brought the score within 6-5 but Eli Stevens struck out the final batter to secure the win.
Will Woodruff, Burden and Stevens shared time on the hill. Harrison hit an RBI single from the dish, Riley hit a 2-RBI double, Woodruff and Ty Graf added singles, Ebarb had two base hits, Burden hit a double, Owens had two hits with a triple and two ribeyes, Farmer added an RBI and Gaston hit a double.
Game Two
It was the Rabbs needing a comeback in the second game as they faced a 3-2 deficit going into the seventh inning.
Corbin Farmer started off the inning with a single and Brenden Clayton walked afterwards. Peyton Harrison executed a great infield bunt which loaded the bases with one out.
Jaden Riley hit a sac fly which tied the game and Will Woodruff hit the go ahead single just a batter later.
The final inning had everyone chewing their fingernails off. After two quick popouts New Diana benefitted from two walks, a balk and a hit batter which loaded the bases.
Nick Burden came through in the clutch and struck out the final batter which clinched the series for the Rabbs.
Eli Dryden, Eli Stevens and Burden shared time on the hill. Harrison hit two base hits, Riley added an RBI, Woodruff hit two singles and had an RBI, Burden had a base hit, Owens added a base hit and Farmer had two hits.
The Rabbs will take on Tatum in the Regional Quarterfinal round which begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17 at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall or if unavailable the game will take place at Panola Junior College. Game two will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, at Panola Junior College and game three, if necessary, will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at Mike Carter Field in Tyler.