Colquitt County Stars fall in title bid

STATESBORO--A pair of tough losses ended Colquitt County Gold's quest for the state 12-under baseball title on Saturday.

The Gold stars fell 6-2 to Wayne County in the first game, an eight inning affair.

Wayne scored two runs in the first inning of the game that was quickly tied by Colquitt on Hayden Kudela's two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning.

Colquitt pitchers, starter Cole Pitts and Kadela held Wayne Co. in check until a four-run breakout in the eighth.

Pitts pitched the first two innings before giving way to Kadela who recorded eight stikeouts.

Pitts and Kudela along with Ryan Davis and Blake Stamp had two hits each for the Colquitt stars. Zac Goodno, Daylon Connell and Matt Creech also hit safely in the game.

The loss forced a second game in the championship bracket, but again, Wayne Co. prevailed.

Gold lost the second game, 6-3 and Wayne Co. became the state champions. Colquitt County finished as the state runner-up.

Colquitt scored a run in each of the first three innings including a solo homerun by Kadela, but Wayne Co. came back with two runs in the fourth and four in the fifth for the win.

Daylon Connell started on the hill for Colquitt. He gave way to Ryan Davis who pitched to two batters in the fifth and returned to the mound before being relieved by Cole Pitts who finished.

Davis, Kudela, Connell Zac Goodno and Blake Stamps all had hits for Colquitt in the second game.