The Bainbridge Bearcats (9-0) were powered by strong pitching and big hits to come out on top 6-1 against Crisp County (6-2) last Friday.

Pitcher Ty Varnum went for all seven innings, striking out two and allowing three hits and no earned runs.

“I wasn’t trying to throw strikes,” Varnum said. “If they hit the ball, they hit the ball. I wasn’t really trying to overpower them.”

The first four innings were a pitching duel between Varnum and Cougar Will Carter. Bainbridge snagged a run in the fourth off an RBI single from Will Kelley. The Bearcats unleashed at the plate in the fifth, adding five more runs to the scoreboard and securing their lead.

“The work they put in this offseason and preseason[made the differnce],” coach Brian McCorkle said. “That’s an awfully good team. It was a pitchers duel, and our guys just stayed with the process and kept grinding.”

During Bainbridge’s fifth inning rally, Keith Lyle kicked things off with a single, bringing home Caleb Boutwell and Carson Inlow. That was followed up by a single from Dustin Hodge, plating Lyle and Connor Strickland

“They were doing a good job of focusing at the plate and getting it done,” McCorkle said.

In the sixth inning, Crisp County pushed across its only run of the day.

Carter was charged with the loss for Crisp County, allowing six runs in 4 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out one.

Bainbridge is back in action Friday when they host Thomas County Central at the BHS fields.