Indians Win Thriller To Advance to State

The Stephens County Indians are State Playoff bound!

Dawson Sorrells hit a two-out two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to give Stephens County a 2-1 lead, and Gabe White got the final out of the game with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position to lead Stephens County to a 3-2 victory over St. Pius in Atlanta Wednesday night.

St. Pius pitcher Daniel Teran was sailing through most of the game allowing just two hits and no Stephens County runner had advanced past first base, but with two outs and the Indians trailing 1-0 Austin Page singled and Sorrells shot over the left field wall put the Indians ahead 2-1.

The Indians added an insurance run in the 7th inning when Zach Boyd doubled and Bryson Fowler singled to score Eli Wenger running for Boyd.

St. Pius started the bottom of the 7th inning with Nick Kosek and Will Arnold reaching base. Stephens County starting pitcher Chaz Bridges was replaced by Gabe White. White walked Chandler Simpson to load the bases, but then got a strikeout, and Will David’s sacrifice fly made the score 3-2 with two outs. White then struck out tough hitting Wesley Diamantis to end the game.

Chaz Bridges picked up the win for the Indians to go to 3-2 on the year, pitching six innings and allowing two runs with one earned on three hits, striking out five and walking five. White picked up the save with two strikeouts and a walk. Teran got the loss for St. Pius to fall to 3-4 on the year going six innings and allowing 3 runs on six hits.

Stephens County moves to 7-7 in Region-8 AAAA play and 21-8 overall. St. Pius falls to 5-9 in the Region and 16-13 overall.

We now know the 4 teams that will represent Region 8 in the state playoffs. The only thing to be decided on Friday is who will be the 3rd seed and who will be 4th.

Jefferson clinched the Region title on Wednesday night with an 11-1 win at Madison County, and North Oconee has wrapped up 2nd with a 7-1 win over Oconee County. Madison County leads Stephens County by one game in the standings, but the Indians will win a tiebreaker between the two. If Stephens County defeats St. Pius on Friday night at home and Madison County falls at Jefferson, the Indians will get the 3rd seed.

Stephens County and St. Pius will play the regular season finale Friday night at The Reservation. Airtime is scheduled for 5:45 P.M. with first pitch at 5:55 P.M. on WNEG.