COVINGTON, Ga. — Newton baseball opened up the first round of the Class-AAAAAA playoffs on Wednesday. The Rams entered the doubleheader with a 19-11 record, and they were greeted by McEachern, who carried its 22-6 record into the games. 

The first game opened up with both teams scoring a run in the opening frame. A Dare’On Adkins RBi single put the Rams on the board.

Newton added another in the second inning, while McEachern answered to tie the game at 2-2 in the third. 

After that, there was no offense to speak of. Both teams went scoreless from the fourth inning all the way to the end of the seventh. 

The offensive lull was broken in extra innings. McEachern added two crucial runs in the top of the eighth inning and Newton was unable to answer. A RBI double from C Jones Jr. was followed by a run-scoring groudout from L Sanchez.

The Indians took the low-scoring game one with a final score of 4-2. 

McEachern sophomore pitcher Chubb Jones Jr. was dominant, racking up 13 strikeouts across seven innings, only allowing two runs. Newton’s Chris Guillory nearly matched Jones Jr.’s performance with 10 strikeouts across seven innings himself.

The start of game two showed more of the same, as neither team was able to get going early. However, McEachern eventually found their stride offensively. 

With some help from the Rams’ pitching staff struggling with walks, the Indians tacked on five runs in the third inning and added two more in the fourth.

McEachern’s starting rotation proved vital again, as senior pitcher JC Crenshaw went six scoreless innings. Newton’s offense was held in check, as they only totaled three hits the entire game.

While Newton’s season may not have ended the way they hoped, this season is surely still a success for the Rams’ baseball program. The team finishes the season with a 19-13 record, and one could easily argue that this was the best Newton baseball season in at least a decade.