By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

CEDAR BLUFF – Thursday night’s Cherokee County Baseball Tournament game between Spring Garden and Gaylesville was a little extra emotional for Kyle and Hayes Garmon. Father and son had spent many years at Gaylesville before they moved on to Spring Garden.

Most of the kids in the Trojan dugout at Cedar Bluff on Thursday Kyle started coaching when they were four years old. Hayes attended school at Gaylesville from Pre-K until the ninth grade.

It was already going to be a game the duo wouldn’t forget, but Hayes made sure to put an exclamation point on it. The senior catcher went 3-for-3 at the plate, with each of those hits a double. His final extra base knock went to right field and walked things off for the Panthers. It drove home pinch runner Noah Barber from second for the game-winning run in the Panthers’ 4-3 victory.

The win secured another spot in the tournament final against either Cedar Bluff or Cherokee County on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

“It’s a huge momentum swing for us,” Hayes said. “We were 0-5 to start the season. Last week I wasn’t getting good, solid hits, but I changed something with my swing and was just trying to smack the ball, hit line drives up the middle. I talked to their pitcher (Hunter Allmond) after the game, and he said it was a hanging curve ball (on the final pitch of the game). It just didn’t move much.”

Allmond’s offering may not have moved much upon delivery, but Hayes sent it deep enough to score the game-winning run.

Gaylesville had tied the game at 3 in the top of the sixth with a pair of runs. Spring Garden nine-hole hitter Jonathan Baker led off the bottom of the seventh and reached base on an error at third. However, he was caught stealing for the first out of inning. Panther senior starting pitcher Carson Bostick was then hit by a pitch to give Spring Garden another runner on the base paths with shortstop Zane Edwards up at the plate. Edwards sent a single to left to give Spring Garden runners at first and second with Hayes up to bat.

And he delivered.

Bostick also delivered for the Panthers on the mound. He went the distance, surrendering just an earned run on three hits with four walks and eight strikeouts.

“You can’t say enough about the job Carson did,” Coach Garmon said. “He started out a little slow. They had some base runners early on, but he worked his way through it. He struck out a lot of kids and out defense played great behind him. He competed. He wants the ball. He’d pitch again tomorrow if I’d let him. He’s just one of those Gumby kids. His arm doesn’t hurt.”

“It’s great catching him,” Hayes said of Bostick. “His curve ball wasn’t on tonight, but his fastball was. He really didn’t need his curve ball tonight though to be honest. Throw strikes was all he needed to do.”

And throw strikes he did.

“It’s just coming out here and playing baseball,” Bostick said. “I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. I do it every time I get on the mound. I did it again tonight and did it well.”

Allmond also went the distance for the Trojans. He gave up three earned runs on seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts.

Alex Baty led the Trojans at the plate by going 2-for-2 with a run and a RBI. Collin Hendon had a hit in his three at-bats.

“We have a lot of friends over there, and I’m proud of them, but I’m obviously proud of us,” Coach Garmon said.

Edwards went 2-for-4 for the Panthers. Connor Bates delivered a hit and two RBIs. Clayton Sadler also had a hit for Spring Garden.

“For our guys, making the county tournament final, that’s been a goal since the beginning of the year,” Coach Garmon said. “Spring Garden has won five of the last six (county championships), and now we get a chance to get another one (on Friday).”

Cedar Bluff 10, Sand Rock 3

CEDAR BLUFF – Jacob Chambers tossed 5 2/3 innings of relief for starting pitcher Caleb Edmondson. He gave up just one run on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in leading the Cedar Bluff Tigers to a 10-3 victory over Sand Rock in the Cherokee County Baseball Tournament on Thursday.

At the plate, Chambers walked and was hit by a pitch.

Edmondson went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and a RBI for the Tigers. Isaac Bishop doubled in a pair of runs in the first inning. He was also hit by a pitch. Kolwyn Morrison singled, walked and drove in a run. Samson Mallett managed a hit and a walk. Hunter Stallings and Kuper Bradley were both 1-for-4. Bradley drove in two runs. Bubba Chadwick was hit by a pitch twice and walked.

Lathan Amos led the Wildcats at the plate by going 2-for-4 with a run. Will Anderson was 1-for-2 with a RBI. He was also hit by a pitch. Ryker Woodall and Blane Clark both singled.

Cam Gifford suffered the loss for the Wildcats. He tossed 6 1/3 innings with five walks and three strikeouts.

Cedar Bluff takes on defending county tournament champion Cherokee County on Friday at 4:30 p.m.