By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
Their ability to cash in opportunities helped the T.R. Miller Tigers win one game, but it was their inability in the same area that cost them a chance to get a split in Saturday's three-team, season-opening doubleheader at Thomasville.
The Tigers rode a solid pitching performance by Baxley Raines in game one when T.R. Miller downed the Citronelle Wildcats 6-2. The Tigers committed three errors and left eight runners on base in game two when they fell to the host Thomasville Tigers 5-2.
Raines scattered six hits, struck out six and walked only two in a complete game effort in the Citronelle game.
The Wildcats took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when they combined two singles, a walk and an error.
T.R. Miller moved ahead for good with its four-run rally in the bottom of the third. Tanner Shehan reached on an error and Seth Holland doubled prior to a two-run single by Becker Denton that tied the game. Christopher Griffin kept the rally going with a single and an error on the play allowed Denton to score the go-ahead run. The Tigers picked up another run on an RBI groundout by Jackson.
T.R. Miller extended its lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth when Shehan singled, went to second on a throwing error, went to third on ball hit by Raines and scored on a sacrifice fly by Denton.
The Tigers picked up their final run in the bottom of the sixth when Kendall Land, who had reached on a passed ball after a strikeout, scored on a sacrifice fly by Seth Holland.
Denton and Allen Williams both had a pair of hits to lead the Tigers, while Griffin, Holland and Shehan each had one.
T.R. Miller outhit Thomasville 8-5 in game two, but could not overcome nine strikeouts at the plate and its three defensive errors.
All three errors occurred in the bottom of the second inning when Thomasville scored three runs to break up a scoreless game. The host Tigers also got RBI singles by Wade Bozeman and Andrew Parten in addition to taking advantage of the errors.
T.R. Miller got one of those runs back in the top of the third when Shehan singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single by Raines.
The visiting Tigers narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the top of the fifth when Seth Holland doubled and scored on an RBI single by Denton.
Thomasville widened its cushion to 5-2 in the bottom half of the inning with two huge insurance runs on a hit batsman, a double by Jake Overstreet, a walk, a run-scoring wild pitch and an RBI single by Bozeman.
T.R. Miller missed a chance to get back in the game in the top of the sixth when Brice Martin singled with one out and Wil Riggs delivered a pinch-hit double. The rally lost its momentum when Riggs was called out for not having been reported to the home plate umpire.
Jackson went the distance on a five-hitter with six strikeouts in a complete game effort, but took the loss.
Raines and Seth Holland both had a pair of hits to lead T.R. Miller at the plate. Shehan, Denton, Martin and Riggs all had one.
The Tigers are off until Friday when they visit Excel for a 6 p.m. game. Junior varsity play starts at 4 p.m. T.R. Miller is also on the road Saturday when it plays at Northview, Fla. Play starts with the junior varsity game at 12 noon followed by the varsity game at 2 p.m.
Game one
Citronelle 020 000 0 - 2 6 5
T.R. Miller 040 101 X - 6 7 3
Game two
T.R. Miller 001 010 0 - 2 8 3
Thomsville 030 020 X - 5 5 1