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The Troup County baseball team went to Baxter, Georgia and came back with a spot in the second round of the playoffs as they swept West Laurens on their home turf.

The Tigers bats exploded in the first game as Troup won 16-8.

The scoring started early for the Tigers as Reed Morris hit a single to drive in two runs and give the Tigers a quick 2-0 lead.

Troup scored another two runs in the top of the second with Mason Atkinson scoring on a wild pitch to plate the first run in the inning. Will Keeter then scored on another wild pitch for the Tigers.

West Laurens struck back with five runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 5-4 lead. This did not fluster the Tigers as they took the lead back in the top of the fourth inning and never looked back. Daniel Martin hit a RBI sacrifice fly to start it off, which was followed by Devon Murphy hitting a RBI double to give the Tigers the lead back. Reed Morris promptly hit a monster three run homer to give the Tigers a 9-5 lead.

West Laurens cut the lead to two runs in the following inning but could not retake the lead.

The Tigers’ offense kept on chugging along as Daniel Martin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning. Murphy then hit a single to drive in another run. Josh Mcdonald hit a RBI single the following at bat and an error by the center fielder allowed two additional runs to score to give Troup a 14-7 lead. Morris drove in his sixth run of the day when he hit a sacrifice fly to round out the scoring in the inning for the Tigers.

The Tigers added another run in the top of the seventh when Keeter was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

West Laurens added a consolation run in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough to spark a rally.

Morris was an absolute menace as he went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and six RBIs. Martin, Murphy and Mcdonald all contributed two RBIs in the game with Keeter grabbing a RBI as well.

The second game was a much more nervy affair for the Tigers as they narrowly escaped with a 9-7 win.

West Laurens took a quick 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning and then proceeded to add another run in the second inning.

The Tigers bats exploded in the bottom of the second inning with eight runs scored starting with an Atkinson two-RBI single to tie the game. Ty Medders hit a RBI sacrifice fly to drive in another run. Fisher Baltzell scored on an error to make it a 4-2 game. Murphy and Mcdonald hit two-RBI doubles to keep the offense rolling. Brett Haynes added his own RBI double to give the Tigers an 8-2 lead heading into the third inning.

West Laurens added a run in the top of the third before Troup answered with a run in the bottom of the third inning on Martin’s RBI single.

West Laurens added a run in the fourth and three runs in the fifth to get back in the game.

Tripp Cummings slammed the door on any chance of a rally when he came in to relieve Murphy on the mound. Cummings pitched two and 1/3rd innings and allowed no runs on just two hits.

Morris was once again the star offensively as he went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. Atkinson matched his two RBIs to lead the team in scoring. Haynes also had a solid game from the plate going 2-for-2 with a run scored, a RBI and a walk.

The Tigers proved they are not a normal one seed as they brushed aside the no. 2 seed West Laurens in two games. The Tigers will have a tough test in the round of 16 as they will travel to take on reigning champions Marist next week.