Bulldogs come from behind to beat rival

Harlem High School orchestrated a come-from-behind victory against Evans High during a Friday baseball game in Evans.

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Down 2-0 heading into the fifth inning, the Bulldogs scored runs in that inning, and in the sixth and seventh, to clinch a win against its county and Region 3-AAAA rival.

Evans struck first in the first, when a sacrifice bunt by Donald Cockerham put Tevin Nelson in scoring position. He reached home after a missed pitch by Harlem catcher Aaron Hintz, who played the first inning while starting catcher Taylor Camp received medical attention for a cut above his right eye.

The Knights scored again in the third. A Glenn Cassedy shot down the third base line produced a double, and he promptly stole third. Jordan Rice brought him home with an RBI single.

Zach McIntire started off Harlem's rally in the fifth with a single, followed by another single from Josh Wirsen. Harlem designated hitter Aaron Moore then loaded the bases with a well-placed bunt just over the head of Evans pitcher Matt Blume as he was running forward.

Tyler James then hit an RBI single to shortstop Corey Holloway, who tagged second for an out but failed to beat James' run to first. Evans first baseman Rick Thigpen halted additional Harlem runs with a diving snag of a Jay Aplin grounder and them stomped on the base to end the inning.

Camp led off the sixth with a double. A single by Mike Bannister then scored Logan May, who pinch-ran for Camp.

Moore then delivered a go-ahead home run in the seventh to start off the inning.

Harlem ace Derek Beasley stepped up to the mound in the seventh to close the game, but started it by walking Thigpen. After striking out Kyle Stark, Beasley then walked Holloway.

Though Nelson grounded out with the next at-bat, he did advance Will Crow, who was running for Thigpen, and Holloway to third and second, respectively.

The most tension in the game came from Cockerham refusing to yield to Beasley's onslaught of fastballs and change-ups. The Evans third baseman fouled off at least five pitches to keep the game alive.

Eventually, Cockerham delivered a hard shot to Harlem third-baseman McIntire.

McIntire first tried to tag out Holloway as he ran for third, but missed. He was able to deliver a throw in time to catch Cockerham at first and end the game.

"That kid that has the bat for them, that was a heck of an at-bat," Harlem coach Jimmie Lewis said of Cockerham. "He did a great job."

Harlem defeated Grovetown 9-0 Monday to move to 15-5, while Evans lost to Westside 9-2 to fall to 16-5.

If Harlem defeats Richmond Academy at home today, the team will finish second in the region and clinch a home game during the playoffs.