The Bainbridge High School Bearcats dropped a regular season-ending double header to the Thomas County Central High School Yellow Jackets Friday at Bearcat Field.

Region foe Thomas County Central scored a run in the top of the seventh inning in the opener, which was close throughout, to pull out a 5-4 victory. The Yellow Jackets won the second game 15-6.

The Bearcats will enter this Friday and Saturday’s opening Region 1AAAA playoffs with a best two of three series against the Northside Warner Robins High School Eagles in Warner Robins.

They will play a double header beginning at 4 p.m. Friday and a third game if needed at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The Bearcats completed the regular season with a 10-13 overall record, a 1-7 Region 1AAAA record and an 0-6 Region 1AAAA South Sub-Region record.

Designated hitter Stephen Knight and right fielder Dillon Clanton singled to ignite a rally that put the Yellow Jackets out front 1-0 in the top of the second.

Knight came around to score when Peyton Singletary singled up the middle. Adam Choice flied out to right to end the inning.

The Yellow Jackets big-scoring inning in the opener was the third when they scored three to take a 4-0 lead. Devon Newberry led off with a double to right center and came in on an RBI single to center by center fielder  John  Holland.

Holland later came in with the third run on an RBI single to right by Eric Johnson. Johnson moved around to third on a single by third baseman Conner Bennett and came in on an error.

The Bearcats scored a run in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Yellow Jackets lead to 4-1. First baseman Blake Voyles led off with a line-drive triple to left and came in to score on a ground out to first by catcher Drew Kelley.

The Bearcats roared back with three big runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull even 4-4.

The inning opened with Steven Bench reaching first on a throwing error. He moved all the way around to third when Blake Voyles followed with a triple to deep center. Catcher Drew Kelley was then intentionally walked to load the bases.

Bench came in with the inning’s first run and Voyles and Kelley moved up to second and third when right fielder Greg Lee grounded out to second.

After designated hitter Gunnar Griffin walked to reload the bases, Lightfoot walked on a 3-2 pitch to force in Voyles with the Bearcats third run. Kelley came in with the tying run on a wild pitch.

The Yellow Jackets’ winning run in the top of the seventh was scored by Newberry, who led off with a single to center. He came home on an RBI single to left by Johnson. The Bearcats went down in order in the bottom of the seventh.

The Yellow Jackets opened the second game with a three-run first inning rally.

Adam Choice led off with a single and stole second. Newberry followed with a walk.

The runners moved up to second and third when Seth Corbett grounded out. Choice came in on an error and Newberry scored on a ground out to second by Eric Johnson. Thomas Bennett singled and came in with the third run on a single by Chris Lee.

The Yellow Jackets scored two more runs in the top of the third to go up 5-0. Eric Johnson walked to lead off the inning and moved up to second when Connor Bennett followed with a single to right.

The runners moved up to second and third on a fielder’s choice and came in on a throwing error.

The Bearcats bounced back to score three in the bottom of the fourth to cut the visitors lead to 5-3. Drew Kelley tripled and came in on a single by Thomas Timmons.

Jordan Cox then singled to move Timmons up to second. Center fielder Stephen Lightfoot walked to load the bases. With one away, Jake Goodson doubled in Cox and Lightfoot.

Lightfoot had a big blow later in the game, He blasted a two-run homer over the right field fence to cut the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 12-5 in the bottom of the sixth. Michael Faircloth, who walked, was aboard when he connected.