Rebels Run Roughshod Over Rabun, Rally Late

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The Fannin High School Rebels’ baseball team went on the road to take on the Rabun County Wildcats and came away with a 13-3 come from behind victory sparked by rallies in the last three innings. Pitcher, James Bennett, was brought in to relieve starting pitcher Brandon Minter in the bottom of the second, secured the win Colby Bowers was brought in to close in the bottom of the seventh.Ryan (Rhino) Nix’s RBI opened the scoring for the Rebels, scoring, outfielder, Korey Satterfield in the top of the first inning. The lead was short lived as the Wildcats tied the game in the bottom of the first.

Tyler McClure at the Plate
(Photo by LT Melton)

The Rebels were held scoreless in the second. The Wildcats, however, increased the Rabun lead to 2-1 with a steal of home on an errant pitch. It was after the lead change that Bennett was brought in to relieve Minter. After giving up a single, Bennett struck out the next two batters to close the inning.

The Rebels only recorded one hit in the top of the third, a single by Nix. Jordan Farmer led off with a fly out caught in foul territory by the Rabun first baseman. Tyler McClure followed with a fly out to center field. Daniel Roper followed Nix’s single with a ground out to second base.

Jordan Farmer at the Plate
(Photo by LT Melton)

The Wildcats faithful began to go wild in the third, as the home team increased the one run lead to two. After a lead off fly out, Bennett walked the next batter. A sacrifice ground out put the runner on third. An overthrow to first on a routine ground ball, failed to end the inning and put the Rebels in the hole, 3-1. Bennett then struck out the last batter ending the inning.

The Rebels were still flat as a South Dakota plain in the fourth, failing to reach base in the entire inning. A pop fly and two strike outs saw the Rebels retired in succession. Rabun attempted to take advantage of the Rebels’ malaise, with a lead off single to right field. A sacrifice bunt, followed by a sacrifice ground out moved the runner to third; however, he was caught in a run down after an over aggressive lead off of third base.

Ryan Nix at the Plate
(Photo by LT Melton)

The Rebel route began in the top of the fifth. Fannin’s offense, offensive until this point, came alive in the inning. The Rebels went from down by two runs, to up by three.

Garrison Sisson began the inning when he reached first on an overthrow of the first baseman. Bennett’s sacrifice bunt moved Sisson to second base. Jordan Farmer was hit by a pitch after Bennett’s bunt, putting men on first and second. McClure’s base clearing double tied the game at 3-3. Ryan Nix’s RBI seeing eye single, after Coach Dyer’s instruction of “if you like the pitch come out your shoes,” scored McClure. Roper followed Nix with an RBI single of his own. After stealing second and moving to third when Brett Davis was thrown out at first, Nix was driven in by Satterfield’s RBI single. Jason Burnette ended the fifth inning Rebel run with a strike out.

The Wildcats had no answer for the Rebels’ run. Bennett struck out the first Rabun batter of the fifth. After a giving up a double to center field, Bennet struck out the next batter and forced a fly out to right field to end the inning.

The top of the sixth saw the Fannin lead increased. Garrrison Sisson led off for the Rebels with a single that dropped just behind the Wildcat short stop. Bennett’s fly ball was caught by the Rabun right fielder, despite an outfield collision with the center fielder. Farmer’s single put men on first and third. McClure reached first, loading the bases, after a drop by the Wildcat first baseman. Nix followed with a two run single, making the score 8-3.

The Wildcats brought in a new pitcher to no avail, as Roper hit an RBI single making the score 9-3. Brett Davis followed with an RBI sacrifice ground out. After Roper stole second on an errant pitch, Satterfield hit an RBI single to center field. Bowers followed with a single to right field. The scoring came to an end with Sisson’s strike out. The Rebels were up 11-3.

Bennett walked the lead off batter in the bottom of the sixth; however, after a fly out and a double play the Rebels were right back up to bat in the top of the seventh.

After two straight strike outs the Fannin flame was alive again at the plate. Ironically the last Rebel rally was ignited by a third strike out. McClure struck out, but was able to beat the throw to first after the Wildcat catcher failed to catch the pitch. Nix followed with yet another RBI, when he a base clearing triple. Roper’s single drove McClure providing the games final score of 13-3.

The Wildcats were able to put a brief score in the visiting team, when the bases were loaded after a single and two errors; however, a pop fly to right field ended the game.

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