Heritage shortstop Nolan Letzgus throws to first base during Friday’s Region 6-AAAA game against visiting Northwest Whitfield on Friday in Ringgold, Georgia.RINGGOLD, Ga. – After waltzing through league play with a perfect record last season and advancing to the semifinals of the GHSA Class AAAA baseball state playoffs, Heritage finds itself in a four-team hunt for the Region 6-AAAA title this spring.
Although the Generals have taken some bumps while replacing seven everyday starters from last season, they took a step forward with a 7-2 region victory over Northwest Whitfield on Friday.
“The biggest thing we are seeing right now is we have some guys stepping up in some roles for us,” Heritage coach Joseph Beagles said. “We have pitchers giving us valuable innings. Nick (Hanson) gave us a huge boost today on the mound, which is where it all starts.”
After Aiden Hosford hustled out an infield single to plate the first run of the game in the top of the second, the Bruins (13-4, 7-2) generated one more hit the rest of the way – a leadoff single from Noah Newman to start the fourth.
The Generals (9-9, 7-5) climbed the region standings thanks to a second-inning outburst in which they laced six of their nine hits and crossed the plate five times.
Alex Mixon and Hanson waited back on knuckleballs for singles, and Pete Padgett tied the game with a screaming line drive past the diving third baseman on a curveball offering. Dylan Brewer and Cade Kiniry each had a two-out RBI single, and Caden Snyder’s deep drive to right-center field drove in two.
Padgett went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs while batting seventh, while five-hole hitter Aaron Colquitt had a productive day with a pair of sacrifice bunts and an RBI double to center in the fifth to build a 7-2 lead.
Hanson allowed one earned run over six innings, and Mixon struck out a pair of batters with a sharp final frame.
“This is really a big series win for us,” Hanson said. “They are our biggest region rival. I knew my guys would have my back. All the hits in the second really got our energy going and lifted us. I feel like we are coming together.”
After losing their first four games of the season and currently sitting fourth in the region standings, a new-look group for the Generals looks to be building momentum. With three region series left to play, the regular-season championship is up for grabs in a much more balanced league.
Heritage will play a three-game series against Gilmer next week, while Northwest will take on Ridgeland, which is third in the region at 8-4. Pickens is second at 9-3.
The Bruins lost 8-0 in the first game of the series with Heritage and won 3-1 in a pitchers’ duel Thursday.
“This series win is big for us,” Beagles said. “We have to continue to show up every day and take care of business and do our jobs. The game is all about consistency and building on things.”
Northwest received a strong long relief performance from left-hander Ty Fisher, who allowed one earned run and struck out two in 4 1/3 innings. Brody Crossen drove in a run and had two hits for the Bruins.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.