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The Upson Beacon
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Page 5B
Wainwright Stays Hot Diamond Knights Swoon Shaw
By Jacob Stewart
Sports Editor
The Diamond Knights
had their way with Shaw last
week, blowing them out
twice and outscoring them
26-1 through two games.
In the first game of the
week, Jake Willis took the
mound and went two in
nings of one-hit, five-strike-
out, no-run ball. Willis has
had better command on
other nights. The Knights’
ace struggled to command
his breaking ball but still did
enough to keep Shaw off
balance. The fleet of Jere
miah Hill, Miller Patterson,
and Beau Ellington all
pitched an inning apiece
and none allowed a hit.
The Knights did not
have a ton going on with the
bats, but they did not need
it. A double from Logan Spi
vey in the first scored two
runs. The ball was inches
from being a three-run
homer. Spivey finished two-
for-three with two runs
batted in. A double from El
lington in the third inning
scored two and pushed the
total to 7-0.
The Shaw defense
coughed up five costly errors
in the game. Although the
Knights scored to runs, they
did so on just four hits.
Shaw pitchers combined for
just one earned run. Upson
Senior Logan Spivey cranks a double that just misses being a home run.
AB
R
H
RBI
Wainwright
5
3
4
2
Spivey
4
2
2
3
Hendricks
3
1
1
3
Upson Lee is 3-1 after two weeks of play. The Knights will play three
more non-region games this week against South Effingham and a
two-game series with old region foe West Laurens.
Lee did what they needed to
do to win the game, but it
would have been difficult for
them not to come out on
top.
On Friday, the Knights
traveled to Shaw’s home turf
and up until the fifth inning,
a run-scoring single from
Jordan Wainwright was the
only difference in the game.
Chaos began in the fifth
inning when Ellington was
hit by a pitch. Wainwright
picked up another single
and some good situational
hitting from Willis and Aus
tin Hendricks helped the
Knights stretch to a 3-0
lead. With two outs, Brooks
Gulley struck out, but a
dropped third strike allowed
him to reach, and Spivey
and Jordan Foster came
home to make it 5-0.
Another run-scoring sin
gle from Wainwright began
the scoring in the sixth. He
was brought home via a
Hendricks double to center-
field. The Knights led 10-0
in the sixth and Hendricks’
day on the mound was fin
ished. He was great as he
tossed five innings of one-
hit, no-run, and 13 strikeout
ball. Phillip Greene relieved
him and gave up Shaw’s
only run of the week in the
bottom of the sixth on a
passed ball.
The Knights continued
to pile on the runs in the
seventh inning and went on
to win 16-1.
Ethan Newman started in leftfieldfor the Knights and was one-for-one
with two runs scored and two walks.
DIMS Baseball Splits First Week of Play
By Jacob Stewart
Sports Editor
Upson Lee’s middle school
baseball season began last week
with two games. The Knights
defeated Lamar County 12-1 in
the opener and lost via a walk-
off in a thriller with Clifton
Ridge.
The Knights jumped all
over Lamar County by scoring
three runs in the first inning. A
double
from Trace Peaden scored
Jaden Wise to highlight the in
ning. Upson Lee added three
more in
the second inning.
Behind the outstanding
start by Trey Webb, the Knights
cruised. Webb pitched three in
nings of no-hit, five-strikeout
ball.
In the fourth inning, dou
bles from Camden O’Neal and
Carson Blakley opened the
floodgates. The Knights
stretched their lead to 12-0.
Lamar County's only ran came
off a single in the bottom of the
fifth inning, but was was not
enough to prevent the run-rale.
Peaden finished two-for-
four with two runs batted in
and Trey Jones went two-for-
four with a ran batted in. O’neal
added two hits and as many
RBI. The Knights combined for
12 hits in the blowout win.
A string of singles helped
the Knights take an early lead
over Clifton Ridge in the second
game of the week. In the second
inning, Clifton Ridge knotted
the game on a fielder’s choice
but took the lead in the third on
a leadoff homeran. A single and
an error helped Clifton Ridge
stretch the lead to 3-1 and
ended Hunter Smith’s day on
the mound.
He finished three innings
allowing four hits, two earned
runs (three unearned),
recording five strikeouts, and
two walks. He was relieved by
Wise.
Wise singled with one
down in the fourth and a triple
from Peaden helped the
Knights rally and tie the game
at three runs apiece. A run-
scoring double from Webb gave
the Knights life and tied the
game at five in the sixth inning,
but a single from Clifton Ridge
scored the leadoff batter who
reached base on a hit by pitch.
Upson Lee dropped their
first game of the year 6-5 due to
the late-inning dramatics.
This team has the power to
explode like they did against
Lamar County in the opener
and they proved they have the
grit to fight in the close games.
Athlete of the Week: Bree Franklin
By Jacob Stewart
Sports Editor
Upson Lee’s middle school
baseball season began last week
with two games. The Knights
defeated Lamar County 12-1 in
the opener and lost via a walk-
off in a thriller with Clifton
Ridge.
The Knights jumped all
over Lamar County by scoring
three runs in the first inning. A
double from Trace Peaden
scored Jaden Wise to highlight
the inning. Upson Lee added
three more in the second in
ning.
Behind the outstanding
start by Trey Webb, the Knights
cruised. Webb pitched three in
nings of no-hit, five-strikeout
ball.
In the fourth inning, dou
bles from Camden O’Neal and
Carson Blakley opened the
floodgates. The Knights
stretched their lead to 12-0.
Lamar County’s only ran came
off a single in the bottom of the
Jed Weatherford and Grayson Sheppard have
proven that they are a tough duo to beat.
fifth inning, but was was not
enough to prevent the run-rale.
Peaden finished two-for-
four with two runs batted in
and Trey Jones went two-for-
four with a ran batted in. O’neal
added two hits and as many
RBI. The Knights combined for
12 hits in the blowout win.
A string of singles helped
the Knights take an early lead
over Clifton Ridge in the second
game of the week. In the second
inning, Clifton Ridge knotted
the game on a fielder’s choice
but took the lead in the third on
A very busy week for
Upson Lee sports brought
many outstanding perform
ances. Jordan Wainwright
dominated at the plate with a
four-hit game, Ty’Keria
Geiger’s 15-point game was
pivotal in the Lady Knight’s
Sweet 16 win, but Bree
Franklin stood out by scoring
five goals in two games for
the Lady Knights soccer
team.
Franklin was the only
sign of hope for Upson Lee in
the first game against Jones
County. Her two goals still
stood out even though the
Lady Knights ultimately lost
7-2.
In the big win over Peach
County, Franklin had the
game of a lifetime. Amidst
the 7-0 blowout win, Frank
lin took in three goals and as
sisted her teammate, Isabela
Velasco, for one of her two
goals of the evening. The hat
trick is the first of the year for
any Upson Lee soccer player.
“My speed does play a
part in some of the goals I
have made. It helps with
breakaways and getting past
the defensive line,” Franklin
said after the hat trick.
Her speed has set her
apart from defenses early in
the season. The Lady Knights
hope to continue to see high-
level production from the
sophomore as region play
heats up.
a leadoff homeran. A single and
an error helped Clifton Ridge
stretch the lead to 3-1 and
ended Hunter Smith’s day on
the mound.
He finished three innings
allowing four hits, two earned
runs (three unearned),
recording five strikeouts, and
two walks. He was relieved by
Wise.
Wise singled with one
down in the fourth and a triple
from Peaden helped the
Knights rally and tie the game
at three runs apiece. A run
scoring double from Webb gave
the Knights life and tied the
game at five in the sixth inning,
but a single from Clifton Ridge
scored the leadoff batter who
reached base on a hit by pitch.
Upson Lee dropped their
first game of the year 6-5 due to
the late-inning dramatics.
This team has the power to
explode like they did against
Lamar County in the opener
and they proved they have the
grit to fight in the close games.
Logan Featured in Men’s
Health Magazine
Thomaston resident Eric
Logan has transformed his
life over the past years. Logan
once weighed 250 pounds
and had struggles climbing a
flight of stairs. Now Logan
weighs 178 pounds and is on
his way to qualifying for the
ITU Multisport World Cham
pionship. His inspiring story
earned a feature in the latest
edition of Men’s Health Mag
azine.
How did all of this
happen? Logan spoke in the
feature of Men’s Health Mag
azine about a day that he
woke up and decided he was
on a path to hardship con
cerning his health. He real
ized that his choices could
soon interfere with the time
he was able to spend with his
beloved wife and daughter.
Logan started to journal
his food consumption and
slowly began to inch into the
world of exercise. Walks from
his desk job soon turned into
laps around the track. Even
tually, he became an avid
member of the gym and a
rowing class that transformed
him into the shape to com
plete a 5K race.
Logan has now completed
a half marathon and partici
pates in duathlons often. The
49-year-old is a new man
with more confidence than
ever. He says in Men’s Health
Magazine
that his motivation is, “to be
the best I can be for myself
and my family.”
His story is an inspiring
one that proves that no
matter what the circum
stances, someone can change
for the better.
By Jacob Stewart
Bree Franklin. Photo by Luke Haney.
TRANSFORMATION!
ERIC LOGAN
STATS
AGE:49
LOCATION:
Thomaston, Georgia
OCCUPATION:
Cybersecurity
operations manager
HEAVIESTWEIGHT:250
CURRENTWEIGHT: 178
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