Georgia edges Alabama in All-Star game

For the first time in four seasons, Team Georgia defeated Team Alabama on Wednesday night in the annual Georgia-Alabama All-Star game at Burger King Stadium ion the camous of Columbus State.

Team Georgia won 5-2 in the game, which is held for graduating seniors in the area.

Glenwood coach Tim Fanning, whose Gators earned their 21st AISA baseball title earlier this spring, says his players enjoyed being able to play with area AHSAA players who they haven’t faced in their high school careers.

“All those guys play together on travel ball teams. It’s good for them to rekindle some friendships and be able to play on the same team, and also it’s good to play guys across the river they don’t get to see,” Fanning said.

The theme of the game, however, was hit batsmen. The pitchers, while stellar on paper, showed a little rust, having not been in game action in nearly two months in some cases. Batters were hit a total of nine times on the night.

Northside’s Drew Haywood was plunked in his first four at-bats. He didn’t have an official at-bat until the eighth inning, where he grounded out to third. He redeemed himself, though, by finishing the game on the mound for Georgia in the top of the ninth, allowing one hit and striking out two for the save.

“I guess it’s just the way it rolls. I wanted to swing the bat in an all-star game, but that’s baseball,” Haywood said. “That’s how I wanted to end my last high school game (on the mound).”

Columbus High’s Jack Copley led the offense for Team Georgia. He got the scoring started in the first inning with an RBI single, scoring Sam Anthony of Hardaway, who had a single earlier in the inning. Copley helped Team Georgia pad their lead in the sixth inning, bringing in two runs on a fielder’s choice play. He picked up his 4th RBI of the game in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly.

“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit and get runners in scoring position,” Copley said. “I didn’t get a hit every time, but I got the runs in.”

Copley was joined on the Team Georgia roster by Blue Devil teammates Cason Greathouse, Chad Mathis, Jackson Mellenberg, and Dawson Weaver.

“It’s good to get one last game together. We’ll always be friends and brothers,” said Copley, who will be attending CVCC to continue his career on the collegiate level.

Despite the hit batsmen scattered throughout the game, the pitching held batters scoreless in a four-inning stretch from the second through the fifth inning. Carson Powell of Harris County and Northside’s Jalen Latta, who picked up the win on the mound for Team Georgia, combined for the four scoreless innings, while Max Newton and Trent Hollingsworth of Smiths Station and Opelika’s Kent Bugg kept the game scoreless on the Alabama side.

“Jalen threw the ball well tonight, like he did at All-State this weekend and like he has the last two-plus years,” Northside coach Dee Miller said of Latta, who will be staying in Columbus to play collegiately at CSU. “He just goes out there and gets guys out and tries to control that movement; when he does, he’s really good.”

“I told the coaches before the game it’s great to root for kids you’ve rooted against for four years,” Miller added, acknowledging the Team Georgia seniors who played against the Patriots in GHSA Region 1-5A baseball. “These guys are all great players and will be great in college. It was good to get to know them on a more personal level.”

This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 11:32 PM with the headline "Georgia edges Alabama in All-Star game."