THOMASVILLE — On Friday, Brookwood’s baseball team was two outs away from winning its first GISA Region 3-3A matchup of the year.

With one swing of the bat, those hopes changed and eventually vanished.

The Warriors led 4-2 going into the seventh inning, but visiting Valwood took the lead with a late three-run home run, handing Brookwood a 5-4 loss at Strickland Field.

“These guys are battling,” Brookwood baseball coach Daniel Funt said. “They’re not laying down for anybody. If you look at the scoreboard and wins and losses you don’t see any improvement, but we keep getting better and better.”

Although the Valiants inched closer by scoring a run in the sixth, they missed a big opportunity in that inning when Brookwood (3-14, 0-6) turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.

However, with one out in the seventh, Valwood put two runners on, and Colby Thomas hit a long fly ball over the left field fence to give his team the late one-run lead.

“That kid hit a curveball that was mid-shin over the fence,” Funt said. “What do you do?”

Brookwood’s Tyler Hester was able to reach in the bottom half with a walk, but the Valiants secured the final three outs to keep the Warriors from the elusive region win. 

Valwood loaded the bases in the first, but were only able to score one to take the first lead of the game at 1-0. In the second, Brookwood’s William Lee tied it up with an RBI single that scored Hester. 

Nick Knifer drove in Lance Wortman in the third to give Brookwood its first lead of the game, and Lee added some insurance when he scored from third on a Valwood throwing error in the fourth. JP Chapman made it 4-1 after five with an RBI double that brought Hester across for the second time.

After a rocky first, Brookwood starter Eli Miller settled in, throwing five four scoreless innings before the sixth came around. Hester led the Warriors at the plate, going 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored.

Brookwood will have some more chances to win a region game next week, as it will take on Southland Academy on Tuesday and Friday.