Caylem Richardson led top-seed Morgan County to its first semifinal appearance since 2018 with a significant win over No. 8 Appling County on May 8.
After splitting the first two games of the Class AA quarterfinal series on May 7, Richardson delivered an impressive performance on the mound and showcased a strong effort at the plate, helping the Dogs defeat the Pirates 6-1 and advance in the state playoffs.
Richardson felt that he didn’t perform his best but was glad to assist his team in securing the win and clinching the series over Appling County.
“The team played well, and I felt like I threw it well today,” Richardson said after the game. “I didn’t have my best stuff, but I’ve got guys behind me who will do their job and help me put zeros on the board. I’m just glad we got the win.”
Richardson provided the Dogs with four solid innings, surrendering only one earned run.
Appling County’s only run of the game came in the top of the second inning with one out. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound righthander then retired two of the next three hitters, escaping the inning without any further damage.
Richardson kept the Appling County batters guessing with a mix of fastballs and off-speed pitches. The Pirates totaled six hits against him, but he managed to get out of several jams unscathed, keeping his team in contention.
The Dogs tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning, as a single by Davis Stickland scored Eli Whitlow. They then broke the game open in the third by scoring four runs to take a 5-1 advantage into the fourth.
Richardson pitched scoreless innings in the first, third, and fourth. He was relieved of his duties in the top of the fifth with one out. He threw 4.1 innings, allowing one run on five hits, with five strikeouts and one walk.
“Caylem did a really good job competing,” Morgan County head coach Steve Westmoreland said. “He probably didn’t have his best stuff today, but he competes, and that’s all you can ask of a guy who goes out on the mound in a playoff game.”
Draco Frazzitta replaced Richardson in the fifth inning, allowing one hit, along with two strikeouts and a walk over 2.2 innings pitched.
“[Caylem] gave us four good innings, and then Draco Frazzitta came in and was lights out,” Westmoreland said.
Frazzitta, a senior who’s going to play football at the Naval Academy, also received an insurance run from the offense in the bottom of the fifth. Richardson led off the inning with a solo home run, extending Morgan County’s lead to 6-1.
“It felt good. It’s been a while,” Richardson said. “I’ve been struggling the past few games, but I finally got one.”
Richardson was recently named the Region 2-AA Offensive Player of the Year, and he demonstrated why in that moment. The junior was ahead in the count and drove a low off-speed pitch over the right field fence.
Westmoreland was happy to see Richardson get out of an offensive slump and blast that solo shot.
“It was a big-time home run,” he said. “He struggled the last couple of series offensively. He was voted the Region Offensive Player of the Year, but struggled in the last four or five games. We had a conversation in the dugout right before the at-bat, and it was good to see him barrel that ball up.”
Morgan County (30-6) hosted No. 12 seed Franklin County (26-9) in the semifinal, with the winner going to the state championship next week in Statesboro to face either Rockmart or Pierce County.