Columbia led the way among four DeKalb County teams that posted perfect records from the second week of baseball action last week.
Coach Steve Dennis and the Eagles turned up the offense in a 2-0 showing, registering 16 total runs in victories over Miller Grove (9-4) Feb. 26 and Cedar Grove (7-6) Feb. 27 in improving to 3-1 overall for the season.
Sophomore Derrick Dennis (1-2), junior Khalil Manuel (1-3; 1 RS) and sophomore Tramane Calloway (1-2; 1 RS; 1 3B) collected two RBI each in helping Columbia rally past Miller Grove in a 9-4 triumph Feb. 26. Sophomore Elijah Hammonds picked up the mound decision for the Eagles, striking out eight and allowing four hits and no earned runs over six innings.
Columbia also out-lasted Cedar Grove in a 7-6 thriller Feb. 27, jumping out to a 7-1 lead in the fifth inning before surviving a late rally by the Saints. Junior Jamari Johnson walked away with the pitching decision in this contest, posting 10 strikeouts while allowing three hits and two earned runs over the first five innings. Sophomore Brandon Williams went 2-2 with two doubles, four RBI and one run scored in leading the offensive charge, while Johnson (2-4; 1 RS) also collected two hits.
Coach Donnie Hayes kept his record untarnished as the head skipper at Lakeside, as the Vikings moved to 4-0 mark with an impressive 11-6 triumph over previously undefeated Druid Hills Feb. 27.
Sophomore Brandon Williams went 2-2 with two doubles, four RBI and one run scored in leading the offensive charge, while Johnson (2-4; 1 RS) also collected two hits. Lakeside pounded out nine hits in an 11-6 victory over Druid Hills Feb. 27, led by junior Sean Mootrey (2-4; 4 RBI; 2 2B).
Senior Garrett Boden (2-3; 1 RS; 1 RBI; 2 SB) and senior Jarret Barr (2-4; 2 RS) also chipped in two hits each, while sophomore Charlie Ludwick added three RBI and one run scored. Ludwick also earned the pitching decision, striking out seven strikeouts and allowing three hits and three earned runs over five innings.
Coach Tyrus Taylor’s Southwest DeKalb Panthers likewise remained perfect at 4-0 with an exciting 8-6 victory over Alexander Feb. 26.
Southwest DeKalb collected 15 hits in its 8-6 road decision over Alexander Feb. 26. Alexander scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 6-6, before the Panthers plated the two winning runs in the top of the eighth. Senior Tyler Sylvester (4-5; 3 RBI; 3 2B) anchored a 15-hit attack, and seniors Zykee Freeman (2-4), Matthew Wray (2-5; 1 RS), Myles White (2-3; 1 RS; 1 2B) and Jaquarious Glover (2-5; 1 RBI) added two hits each.
Keeping up with the undefeated theme, Adam Beerman also remained perfect as the head coach of Towers at 2-0 with a 22-5 decision over Clarkston Feb. 26.
Senior Grant Gibbons added four strikeouts in two innings of scoreless relief. Redan dropped an 11-7 decision to Wesleyan to open the 2016 season Feb. 26 at Wesleyan.
Sophomore Kelvin Smith (2-3; 1 HR; 1 2B) and senior Julian Graves (2-4; 1 RS) delivered two hits each in the defeat, while junior Marlin Willis (5 1/3 IP; 8 H; 9 ER; 5 SO; 1 BB) took the mound loss. Redan came back the next day to split a home doubleheader Feb. 27, winning the opener by a 5-0 margin over Griffin and taking a tough 5-4 defeat at the hands of Stephenson in the nightcap.
Junior Darius Pope turned in a pitching effort to remember against Griffin, striking out nine and allowing only two walks and one hit in going the full seven innings. Smith (2-4; 2 RBI; 1 2B) and sophomore Hunter Todd (2-3; 1 RS) paced the Raider offense. Redan closed out the week with the heart-breaking loss in the last inning to Stephenson.
Senior Walter Jordan (4 IP; 4 SO; 3 ER) turned in a solid effort as the starting pitcher and also shined at the plate (2-4; 1 RS) to lead the way for the Raiders, while Pope also finished 2-3 with two runs scored and one RBI on the offensive end.
Tucker dropped a 7-3 decision to Griffin Feb. 25, but senior Booth Vogel did provide a major highlight with a three-run homer. The Tigers (1-3) picked up their first victory of the year in a 12-2 home triumph over Chamblee Feb. 27, as junior Kyle Washington struck out five and allowed one earned run in four innings on the pitching end. Senior Tyler Moore (3-3; 2 RS; 1 2B) and junior Louis Davenport (2-3; 5 RBI; 2 RS; 1 HR) paced a nine-hit offensive attack.