The Lumpkin County Indians Shutout the Union County Panthers 10-0 at Home in Game Two of their Doubleheader

By: Noah Johnson

The Lumpkin County Indians faced off with the Union County Panthers in the second game of their doubleheader on Tuesday, and the game was all Indians. The Indians started hot, scoring 5 runs in the first inning and continuing to score in each inning. The potent Indian offense scored 10 runs in the game led by catcher Tyler Boggs who reached base three times with 2 hits and 3 RBIs. Aidan Rodgers was on the bump for the Indians and had a masterful performance. Rodgers finished the game striking out 8, walking 3, and only allowing 1 hit for the Indians. The Indians would win the game in the 5th inning 10-0 due to the mercy rule. 

Rogers started the game for the Indians and recorded three strikeouts in the first inning, only allowing a walk in the frame. Lumpkin sent 9 Indians to the plate and scored 5 in the bottom of the first. Harper Davenport got the offense going with a leadoff single followed by a walk to Peyton Wood. Cleanup hitter Cooper Scott got the first RBI of the game with a single to left field to put the Indians up 1-0. Hayden Gilbert would draw a walk in the next at-bat, loading the bases for Boggs. Boggs hit a double to the gap in left field, clearing the bases and making the score 4-0. The Indians would tack on one more with an RBI single to left field by Dakota Bennett. 

Rodgers came back in the top of the 2nd and gave up a leadoff walk to Eli Sosensky. Rodgers would bounce back from the leadoff walk and record two strikeouts in the inning without giving up any runs. The top of the lineup came to the plate for Lumpkin led off by Davenport who flew out to left field. Alejandro Narvaez sliced a 1-out double to left field and then stole third base with Wood at the plate. Wood hit a ball on the ground and hustled for an infield single and an RBI making the score 6-0. The next two Indians would go down in order to end the inning. 

Rodgers continued to be dominant in the 3rd inning getting the first two batters out on balls in play. Will Duncan managed a single to center field with 2 outs to give the Panthers their first hit of the game. Rodgers then struck out Hayden Hughes to end the frame. Gilbert and Boggs hit back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the inning, setting up 1st and 2nd with no outs. Bennett would then ground into a fielder’s choice getting one out but runners would be on 1st and 3rd with Dolan Harder at the plate. Harder would get an RBI as he hit a sacrifice fly to center field making the score 7-0. The Panthers would get out of the inning thanks to a ground ball out by Davenport. 

Rodgers came on for his 4th inning of work and took care of the Panther’s lineup in order. Narvaez and Wood got on base to begin the bottom of the inning with a hit-by-pitch and a walk, respectively. The Panthers then would bring on Hunter Fleming in relief to face Rodgers who would hit a line-drive single to load the bases. Scott would then hit a sacrifice fly to bring in a run making the score 8-0. Fleming would then strike out Gilbert to get the second out with runners on 2nd and 3rd. The next batter, Boggs, would reach on an E4 that allowed two runs to score, giving the Indians a commanding 10-0 lead. Bennett would fly out on the next at-bat to send the game to the top of the 5th. 

The Panthers came to the plate down by 10 and needed to score at least one run to prevent an automatic win for the Indians due to the mercy rule. The Panthers would have no luck as Rodgers finished the three batters to get a complete game shutout win for the Indians with a final score of 10-0. The 5-1 Lumpkin County Indians will go on the road on Wednesday to Flowery Branch to face the 5-3 Falcons, first pitch is set for 5:30.