By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It was a mismatch.

Troup’s Colby Williams, who has been overpowering opposing hitters throughout a phenomenal high-school career, delivered another gem during Wednesday’s Region 5-AAAA showdown with Cedartown.

Williams came within one out of throwing a no-hitter to lead the Tigers to a 2-0 home win while moving them a step closer to a region title.

Troup improved to 8-1 in the region, and if it wins its final three region games, including Friday’s rematch at Cedartown, it will capture the region championship.

Troup closes its region schedule with two games against rival LaGrange next week.

In Wednesday’s game, Cooper Doughman hit a two-run home run in the first inning, and that was it for the scoring.

With Williams carving up Cedartown’s lineup, that was enough.

After retiring the first two batters in the top of the seventh, Williams was on the cusp of his first varsity no-hitter.

Tyler Gosdin ended the no-hit bid with a base hit to right field, and Williams’ attention then turned to securing the shutout.

Williams got the final batter to fly out to right field, and Troup had the win.

While disappointed to come so close to a no-hitter only to be denied, Williams knows that securing the win was all that really mattered.

“It’s baseball,” Williams said. “We got the win, and we’re still sitting in first place in the region.”

Doughman, Troup’s senior catcher, gave Williams some runs to work with after delivering a two-run bomb in the first inning.

Leadoff hitter Caleb McCurry was hit by a pitch, and after a Trace Meadows sacrifice bunt, Doughman stepped to the plate and launched the ball over the left-field fence for the two-run homer.

Williams returned to the mound for the top of the second inning armed with the lead.

“It’s big, and that guy’s been swinging the bat all year,” Williams said. “You get the first three outs, and then you get a two-spot in the first inning.

“It’s just a confidence builder. You know they’ve got my back today, and I’ve got theirs on the mound.”

Williams did the rest.

The closest the Bulldogs came to scoring was in the top of the sixth inning when Easton Oxenreider walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, but that threat ended with a fly-out.

The Bulldogs had a handful of other base runners thanks to walks, a hit batter and an error, but they only got one man as far as second base.

Williams will take the mound next week against LaGrange, and while he’s eager to take on his team’s rival, he made sure not to look past a capable Cedartown squad.

Cedartown is 5-4 in the region and tied with LaGrange for third place.”

You take it day by day,” Williams said. “We know you can’t overlook these guys and look straight to LaGrange. You’ve got to go at these guys hard. We came in with the mindset that it’s going to be a dogfight. We wanted to end on top no matter what the final score is, and we did that today.”

Offensively, Troup didn’t do much against Cedartown starter Tyler Gosdin, who gave up three hits and didn’t allow any runs after the first inning.

Meadows, Grayson Garner and Doughman had Troup’s only hits.