With four games in three days, the Andrews varsity baseball team started the season with a perfect week.
The Wildcats were on the road all week facing IC Imagine in Asheville, then Cherokee and North Georgia Tribe in Dawsonville, Ga. The matchup against Cherokee was a doubleheader.
Cats open with win
The Wildcats got their season started on the right foot as they defeated IC Imagine 13-1 on March 3.
The Wildcats got the scoring started early with five runs in the top of the first inning. The Kingfishers of IC Imagine answered with a run in the bottom of the first inning.
The Cats then scored three runs in the second inning before adding one more in the third to lead 9-0. Andrews added three runs in the fourth inning, then one more to cap off the five-inning game.
Peanut Garrett had a home run, two runs and three RBI. Logan Hyde, Dawson Stalcup and Drew Dartez also had two runs scored. Garrett and Tanner Postell had three RBI each.
Postell pitched five innings, giving up one run on five hits with 11 strikeouts.
Cats win double header
The Cats traveled to Cherokee for a doubleheader against the Braves in a non-conference matchup March 5. Andrews won the first game 20-0, then the second game 9-1, as both games went only three innings.
In the first game, the Cats jumped on the Braves immediately with 16 runs in the top of the first inning. Andrews added one run in the second, then three more in the third.
Dartez led the team with three runs scored. Scoring two runs each were Hyde, Postell, Garrett, Brady McLelland, Ethan Sutton, Kelby Waldroup and Logan Shuler.
Postell led the team with four stolen bases. Sutton pitched all three innings and gave up only one hit, while earning seven strikeouts.
In the second game, the Cats got an early start again with eight runs in the top of the first. Andrews added another run in the top of the second to lead 9-0.
Cherokee scored its lone run in the doubleheader in the bottom of the second. The Cats combined for 29 runs against the Braves across the two games.
Stalcup and Waldroup had two runs each in the second game. Waldroup also led the team with three stolen bases. Hyde pitched all three innings and gave up one run, while striking out six batters.
Win to end week
In their fourth game of the week, the Wildcats defeated North Georgia Tribe 7-2 on Friday in Dawsonville, Ga. Late runs helped the Cats get the win and have a perfect opening week.
The first runs of the game were scored by the Cats in the top of the second inning, as Andrews brought home two an early lead. The Tribe scored a run to make it 2-1 through two innings.
After a scoreless third inning, the Wildcats took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning. The Tribe scored one run in the fifth to make it a 3-2 game.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Wildcats drove home four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 7-2 lead. They shut down the Tribe in the bottom of the seventh to win.
Up next
The Wildcats return to the field on the road at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Rosman in Smoky Mountain Conference action.
They will return home at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to face Robbinsville.