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GHSA Playoffs: West Laurens marches by Cairo to quarters

May 2, 2019
Phil Kerber
PBR Florida/JUCO Wire



CAIRO, GA - The GHSA Playoffs resumed play on Wednesday as Class 4A Cairo Syrupmakers hosted West Laurens Raiders. West Laurens jumped all over the Syrupmakers in game one, taking it 11-1 in five innings. The second game was a bit more tense as the Raiders had to hold on for a 4-3 victory and the series sweeping, punching their ticket to quarterfinals.

Game one was a dominant performance from the Raiders’ offense. They were able to spot themselves a 3-0 lead through three innings, before an offensive explosion in the fourth inning pushed the lead to 9-0. The lead grew even larger in the fifth when West Laurens plated two more runs thanks to a throwing error by the Cairo second baseman.

West Laurens starter, LHP AJ Mathis (2020) finished the complete game victory, although he was unable to preserve the shutout, allowing a solo home run in the fifth. Mathis worked out of the stretch only for the entirety of the game. The quarterback of West Laurens football team, Mathis showed a short, clean arm action, hiding the ball very well to an over-the-top slot. His fastball played in the low 80s. Mathis complimented his fastball with a 12/6 curveball that he was comfortable going to frequently.
 


Game two was more on par with what was expected of these two teams. West Laurens got on the board first in the first inning. Starting pitcher Colton Scott (2021) led the game off with a single and then was followed by RF EJ Holmes (2019) infield single. Both runners advanced a bag on Mathis’ bunt the next at-bat. Cairo elected to intentionally walk the four hitter, C Brody Slaughter (2020) to load the bases and create a force at all bases. Mississippi St. commit Bradley Wilson (2021) would make the Syrupmakers pay for this decision. The physical right-handed hitter belted a ball off the right field wall for a two run double, giving West Laurens the early 2-0 lead.

Cairo responded with a run in the top half of the second. A leadoff walk to starting pitcher LHP Blake Touchton (2020) came back to cost Scott. 2B Will Prince (2022) was able to drive him in on a long sacrifice fly to center field. Scott was able to settle in after this episode and get through the next two innings unharmed. Utilizing a short arm action to an over-the-top slot, Scott’s fastball played in the low 80s with late armside run and some tilt. His curveball, a true change of pace pitch at 60-62 mph, routinely had the Syrupmakers on their front foot. Scott left the game following his fourth inning, handing the ball over to Bradley Wilson.
Opposite of Scott was Touchton. Touchton, after allowing two runs in the first inning, started to feed off the raucous home crowds energy. A physical southpaw, Touchton got the better of the West Laurens lineup in the second and third innings. His fastball/slider combo started to catch the Raiders off guard as he gained confidence and command. Running his fastball up to 84 mph, Touchton added a deceptive slider that he painted the armside of the plate with routinely at 77-78 mph.
The bottom of the fourth inning turned out to be the difference maker for West Laurens. Wilson delivered his third RBI of the game when he led off the inning with a solo bomb over the left fence, striking a parked car. The Raiders were able to add another much needed insurance run in the inning, as it would turn out.

Wilson then took to the mound in the fifth inning, looking to preserve the lead and victory for the Raiders. The arm talent from Wilson was immediately evident as he sat 84-86, touching 87 and 88 a few times with his fastball. Possessing a big, strong frame with an athletic build, Wilson used a quick delivery and a short arm action to ¾ slot to get on the Syrupmakers. Cairo did not back down though. The Syrupmakers managed two singles in their first three at-bats against Wilson. West Laurens almost got out of the inning with no damage done, but an errant throw by the shortstop opened the door for Cairo to score two runs and cut the lead to 4-3.

The sixth and seventh innings belonged to Wilson. With the pressure high and the home crowd growing louder and louder, Wilson responded with laser focus. Touching 88 mph in the sixth, he faced the minimum number of batters in the inning thanks to a line drive right at the second baseman, allowthing the Raiders to double up the runner at second base and head to the seventh. Facing the heart of the order, Wilson started to mix in first pitch breaking balls to go along with his fastball and it was effective to say the least. He sent the first two batters down before rearing back and getting the final batter to groundout on an 88 mph fastball.

 

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