By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

GAYLESVILLE – In between innings at area rival Gaylesville on Wednesday, Spring Garden baseball coach Kyle Garmon kept telling the Panthers to keep scoring runs no matter what. He knew if they failed to do so “they were going to catch us.”

The Panthers heeded Garmon’s words of wisdom.

They scored at least one run in every inning except the top of the fifth in a 17-8 win that clinched the Class 1A, Area 12 championship.

“Gaylesville’s tough,” Garmon said. “Kolby (Brannon) does a good job with them. Their kids don’t quit and they were scrappy today. It seemed like every time we scored two or three runs, they’d score two or three runs.”

Making Garmon’s point, the Panthers (15-6) sent 10 men to the plate in the top of the first inning against starting pitcher Hunter Allmond and scored six runs. Gaylesville (8-11) countered by sending eight batters to the plate and scoring three runs in the bottom half of the first on Panther starter Clayton Sadler.

Another Panther run crossed the plate in the top of the second, but two more did so for the Trojans in the bottom of the third to make it 7-5.

It was just a roller-coaster type game for both teams.

“We couldn’t hold them down,” Brannon said. “We continued to score runs, but we just couldn’t get a stop, and they kept adding on. They’re a good ball team. They hit the ball about as well as anybody we’ve played all year.”

Among the 25 combined runs scored, Sadler was able to weather the storm. He gave up six earned runs on 11 hits with two walks, but he also struck out 12 Trojans.

“He’s probably our strikeout pitcher. The rest of them are contact guys,” Garmon said of Sadler. “He had a good curve ball today. They struggled with his curve ball. That was really why we won.”

Thanks to his curve ball, Sadler managed to retire the Trojans 1-2-3 to hold them scoreless in the second and the fifth innings. He reached his pitch count with one out in the bottom of the seventh.

Connor Bates came in to relieve Sadler. He walked two and struck out two.

“I got a little out of control, but Coach (Garmon) was calling good pitches for me to throw,” Sadler said. “Every now and then I’d leave a hanging curve ball or something and they’d hit a blooper out over the infield, but other than that, I feel like we were pretty solid. The infield backed me up.”

Sadler also led the Panthers at the plate by going 4-for-5 with two RBIs.

For the game, Spring Garden pounded out 18 hits.

“We hit the ball really well today I think,” Sadler said.

Joel Hunter, Hayes Garmon, Zane Edwards, Grey Simpson, Noah Barber and John Welsh each had a pair of hits for the Panthers. Hunter, Garmon, Edwards and Simpson each had a double. Simpson and Connor Bates both drove in three runs. Hunter, Garmon, Sadler and Welsh each had two RBIs.

Bradlee Smith led the Trojans at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Allmond and Collin Hendon both had a pair of hits and scored a pair of runs. Alex Baty and Landon Chumbler both had a hit and a RBI. Baty scored twice and Chumbler once. Hayden Dodd and Jared Butts both delivered a hit Dodd also walked and drove in a pair of runs.

Allmond suffered the loss after allowing 12 earned runs on 13 hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts in four innings. Baty tossed three innings and allowed four earned runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Seniors Allmond, Baty, Hendon and Chumbler were honored following the game.

“Our seniors have been huge for us, and not just in baseball but for me in basketball and Coach (Brian) Knapp in football,” Brannon said. “It’s a really good senior group, good kids. They’ve done a lot of winning the past few years. That’s been new a little bit around here, but it’s been fun for them to get to be part of it. It’s a great group and we’re going to miss them like crazy. I’m glad we’ve got them for at least a few more games.”

As Brannon mentioned, both the Trojans and Panthers have qualified for the state playoffs, which begin on April 18. Spring Garden will host the Area 9 runner-up, either South Lamar or Pickens Academy. The Trojans will travel to the Area 9 winner. All playoff series are a best-of-three game format.