Coach Scott Miller’s Bainbridge High School Bearcats evened their Region 1-AAAA baseball record at 1-1 Tuesday, with a 7-4 home victory over the Thomas County Central High School Yellow Jackets.

Bainbridge returned to Region 1-AAAA play Friday when they traveled to face Houston County. That game was not complete by press time.

The Bearcats, who moved to 6-3 overall, took control early, grabbing a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Right fielder Michael Faircloth drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to lead off the Bearcats’ first inning. With one out, he moved up to second when pitcher Jake Goodson reached on an error.

The runners moved up to second and third on passed balls, and catcher Blake Voyles was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.

With two outs, third baseman Jackson Jones doubled, driving in two runs. The third run scored on a passed ball.

The Bearcats added a run in the bottom of the second to increase their lead to 4-0. It was scored by centerfielder Tate Lambert, who singled and came in on a double by Goodson.

The Yellow Jackets rallied for three runs in the top of the third, to cut the Bearcats’ lead to 4-3. The key blow in the inning was a two-run home run by pitcher Kyle Riley.

The Bearcats bounced right back with two in the third and one in the fourth, to push their lead out to 7-3.

Second baseman Brandon Bates doubled, stole third and came in to score the first third-inning run on a fielder’s choice. The  inning’s second run was scored by Faircloth, who walked, moved up to second on a fielder’s choice and third on an error, and eventually scored on a fielder’s choice.

Voyles walked, stole second and scored on an error in the fourth.

The Yellow Jackets added their final run in the top of the fifth. It was scored by Riley, who singled, moved to second on a fielder’s choice and scored on a two-out single by right fielder Conner Bennett.

Rion Murrah pitched 3-2/3 scoreless innings in relief for the Bearcats, and Jordan Massey closed it out in the seventh.