NEWNAN — Tiftarea Academy’s 2024 baseball season concluded Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the GIAA Class AAA tournament at Heritage.
Heritage swept the series, 2-0 and 11-5. The first loss was particularly heartbreaking.
Lane Cole surrendered only one hit in a complete game, but two unearned runs off one swing of the bat in the sixth saw their hosts score both runs.
Otherwise, Cole dominated, striking out three and only walking one. He had a no-hitter through 5 1/3 innings.
Unluckily for the Panthers, Heritage was just as strong pitching-wise, holding Tiftarea to two hits. Jackson Gray and Jackson Parrish both singled in the third. Asher Cox earned a walk.
The second game saw the Panthers in a 7-0 hole in the second. They clawed back with two in the third and three in the fifth to close to 7-5, but the Hawks added four insurance runs in the sixth.
Cole doubled in the second game and he and Parrish both had two hits apiece. RBIs were divided between Parrish, Winston Lamb, Cox and Cole. John Jackson and Ridley Monk each scored twice.
Parks Colwell finished the season with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, three of the outs by strikeout.