March 25 at Danny Blue Field in Conyers, GA
Over the last half-decade Loganville has had its way with Heritage (eight straight wins in the series coming in), yet trailed 2-0 through the early innings Wednesday evening. But the Red Devils have been a state title contender in Georgia every season for more than a decade and the top of the fifth inning was a perfect example of why. After putting runners at second and third by way of a Heritage error, a bunt single and a sacrifice, pinch-hitter Connor Hughes delivered a tying, two-run single and two batters later, David Chabut laced a single down the left-field line and it was a 3-2 game. On a night where the bats had trouble getting going against the Patriots' ace Matt Studdard, Loganville still pulled out a win on the road against a good Heritage team because it's a program with a really good coach (Jeff Segars) and a never-ending pipeline of excellent high school players who find ways to win.
Of course, the host Patriots still had three more innings to get two runs, but that one-run deficit might as well have been 10 after Lucas Cloud took the ball for Loganville.
The sidearming reliever came on to start the bottom of the fifth and retired all nine batters he faced in dominant fashion (four strike outs, three infield outs and a shallow fly out to right field).
Heritage last win in the series came in April, 2010.
Nicknames that aren't really nicknames
Loganville
Rhett Mixon - "Rhetter"
Morgan Copeland - "Cope", "Mo"
Timothy Elliott - "Timmy", "Timbo"
Carson McCullers - "Cars"
Heritage
Isreal Zackery - "Izz", "Zack"
Justin Roberson - "Robo"
Anthony Williams - "Rabbit"
Kelsey Weems - "Kels"
Studdard - "Big Matt," "Studs"
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