Southwest DeKalb’s Kamreon Scott (left) dives back to first as Chamblee first baseman David Welsh waits on a throw. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Down 2-0 after the first inning, the Southwest DeKalb Panthers rallied for three runs to knock off Region 5-5A and DeKalb rivals Chamblee Bulldogs 3-2 at Chamblee on Friday night.
Panthers starting pitcher Jarhyl Williams settled down after giving up two runs in the bottom of the first inning to pitch five consecutive scoreless innings while striking out 11 Bulldogs to keep Southwest DeKalb (7-7, 2-3) in the game.
Southwest DeKalb took the lead in the top of the sixth inning when Kyler Wimbish singled to center to score Raekwon Wedderburn who had singled and stole second to start the inning.
Chamblee reliever Tyler Sun worked out of the inning with help from catcher Joey David who threw Wimbish out at third as he was trying to steal. A line out to third baseman Luke Rohrer ended the inning with Chamblee trailing 3-2.
Williams gave up his first walk of the game in the bottom of the sixth but bounced back with his 11th strikeout to end any threat the Bulldogs seemed trying to mount.
Sun got the panthers to ground into a double play in the top of the seventh to keep the margin at 3-2 with the Bulldogs headed to the bottom of the seventh.
Chamblee’s Sydyk Ross (left) had a double and scored a run for the Bulldogs in the 3-2 loss. Jahryl Williams struck out 11 batters in six innings to get the win for Southwest DeKalb. (Photos by Mark Brock)
Matthew Evans came to the mound for the Panthers and walked Fabian Walker to start the inning. Walker got into a run down for the first out as a bunt play went bad for the Bulldogs.
Evans got a hopper back to the mound for the second out and then finished the game with a strikeout to seal the win.
The Bulldogs got on the board following a leadoff double to right field by Sydyk Ross. Williams hit David Welsh and Demery White to load the bases. Chamblee got the lead at 1-0 as Ross scored on a wild pitch that moves all the runners up a base. Rohrer made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to center.
Chamblee (8-9, 4-3) held the 2-0 lead going into the top of the fourth when the Panthers’ Kamreon Scott tripled to deep center field with two outs. Nicholas Williams followed with a single up the middle to plate Scott and cut the lead to 2-1 heading into the fifth inning.
Davion Graham opened the top of the fifth with an infield single and followed up by stealing second. Graham took off for third and throwing error allowed him to come to home to tie the game up at 2-2.
Davion Graham was 2-3 in the game and Antreaz McDowell was 2-3 with double to lead the Southwest DeKalb offense. Sydyk Ross and Fabian Walker each had a hit to account for the Bulldogs only two hits of the game. Jarhyl Williams picked up the win going six innings with 11 strikeouts, 1 walk, two hits and 3 hit batsmen. Matthew Evans pitched one inning of relief for the save. Tyler Sun took the loss while pitching three innings giving up two runs (1 unearned).
The pair meet again at Southwest DeKalb on Monday to finish their two-game series in Region 5-5A action.