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The Tigers survived and advanced. Troup beat West Laurens 10-2 on Thursday in a winner-take-all game 3 in the second round of the 4A state playoffs.

Wednesday featured an absolute war between Troup and West Laurens with each team winning a game. West Laurens edged out Troup in game one before the Tigers got revenge with their backs against the wall and faced elimination in game two.

 

GAME THREE:

TROUP – 10

WEST LAURENS – 2

 

After a scoreless first inning, Troup scored seven runs in the top of the second inning to take a commanding early lead in the second straight elimination game for the Tigers. Torreion Delaney grounded out to drive in the opening run. Brady Willis and Chase Mosley were both hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Garrison Edwards was walked with three runners on to score three runs. Freshman Davis Moncus then came through with a monster bases-clearing double to put the Tigers up 7-0.

Troup made it 8-0 in the fourth via a sacrifice fly from Moncus. Moncus was the main source of offense for Troup, driving in four runs in the game.

The Raiders eventually got on the board, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth.

This did little to slow the Troup momentum and the Tigers immediately stretched the lead back out to eight runs with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Delaney and Trey Dean both stole home for the Tigers. 

Moncus, Edwards, Delaney, Willis, Carson Walker and Courtney Wilson all had a hit each for Troup.

The lone senior on the team, Tripp Cummings, got the start on the mound and gave Troup a strong four innings, allowing just six hits and two earned runs on two strikeouts. Demtrisu Hardnett pitched the final three innings, slamming the door on any chance of a rally from West Laurens. 

 

GAME TWO: 

TROUP – 4

WEST LAURENS – 2

Staring down the barrel of playoff elimination for the second straight week, Troup came through once again to win a critical game two.

The Raiders got on the board first, scoring a run in the top of the third before making it 2-0 with a run in the fourth. 

Troup was able to halve the deficit in the bottom of the fourth when Moncus hit a sacrifice fly to plate a run. The Tigers eventually tied the game up in the fifth inning when Torreion Delaney bunted to drive a run home. A batter later, Ethan Goff hit a single that drove in a run and gave Troup its first lead of the game. Troup made it 4-2 when Brady Willis scored on a wild pitch later in the inning.

Hits were hard to come by for the Tigers with the team generating just four in the game, but the offense came through when it mattered most. Goff led the way with two hits while Cason Spears and Garrison Edwards had one each.

Demetrius Hardnett got the start on the mound and pitched three innings before making way for Moncus, who pitched the final four. Hardnett allowed just three hits and one earned run on five strikeouts. Moncus did not allow a single hit and also struck out five batters.

 

GAME ONE:

TROUP – 4

WEST LAURENS – 6

 

The first game of the round of 16 matchup between Troup and West Laurens was full of momentum swings as West Laurens was able to capture a 6-4 win.

The Tigers drew first blood, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Carson Walker brought a run home with a single and Fisher Baltzell promptly doubled the lead with an RBI triple.

The Raiders had a quick response, tying the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first on what would end up being a crucial error from the Troup defense.

The Raiders eventually took their first lead of the game with a run in the bottom of the third, but Troup quickly retook the lead in the top of the fourth with two runs. An error allowed the first run of the inning to score before Baltzell stole home to give Troup a 4-3 lead.

The Raiders once again had a quick response, tying the game in the bottom of the fourth with a run.

The game was perfectly balanced until West Laurens scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Troup rally got shut down before it even got off the ground as the Raiders struck out the side in the top of the seventh. 

Walker and Baltzell led the way for the Troup offense as each was 2-for-3 with an RBI. No other Tigers had a hit in the game.

Walker got the start on the mound, throwing four innings in which he allowed just five hits and two earned runs on six strikeouts. Tripp Cummings, Cason Spears, Kaleb Woodson and Davis Moncus all saw time on the mound in the opening game.

 

WHAT’S NEXT:

Troup will travel to take on Holy Innoncents’ for a doubleheader next Monday. If the teams split the opening two games, they will rematch on Tuesday with the winner of that game advancing to the state semifinals.