CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. – Mistakes are difficult to overcome any time on the baseball field. When they happen in the postseason, they get compounded.
Mistakes were the theme of Gordon Lee’s final game of the 2016 season Saturday. Facing a not-your-usual No. 4 seed Holy Innocents’ in a first-round Class AA playoff elimination game, the top-ranked Trojans allowed seven unearned runs in a 9-2 loss.
In a nightmare first inning, Gordon Lee committed two errors on routine infield grounders and walked four batters as the visitors were handed a 6-0 lead. Coach Mike Dunfee went through three pitchers in the frame, eventually settling on junior Chaney Rogers, the future Georgia Bulldog who had not thrown a pitch this year due to injury.
Rogers came on after the inning’s second error but walked three consecutive batters to bring in the final two runs. He would go on to pitch 4 1/3 scoreless and hitless innings with nine strikeouts.
“We knew we had to come out and play defense and throw strikes, and we just didn’t that first inning,” Dunfee said. “Our two younger kids pounded the zone, and Chaney – I put a lot on his back right there – battled and shut them out. He really wanted the ball and wanted to help us out. That’s a testimony to him as to the caliber of kid he is.