The Lincoln County High School Diamond Devils started their season off in unusual fashion, fighting the cold in one game and going down to the wire in the other. After the dust settled, they ended their first week with a 1-1 record and showed just a glimpse of what to expect this season.

The Devils opened the season on the road against rival Washington- Wilkes. The teams fought temperatures that dipped into the 30's and a wind that made it much worse. The Tigers jumped to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning off starter Crafton Reed. But the Devils cut the lead to two with RBI's by Chris Leverett and Larry Reeb. They tied it in the third on RBI singles by David Lee and Curry Colvin.

However, the Tigers delivered a decisive blow in the fourth inning, scoring five runs. They added another in the fifth for a six-run lead. The lead was insurmountable for the Devils, as they were unable to put another run across. Not the start they were hoping for, but Lincoln County has a shot at revenge as the rivals face off again the next week.

The Devils opened at home under the lights Friday against the Social Circle Redskins, who were coming off two big wins the same week. Lincoln County started strong with three runs in the first inning. Reeb led off the game with a single and scored on a Josh Hollimon RBI single. Hollimon eventually reached third and scored on an error. Leverett added the third run of the inning with an RBI single.

Lincoln County stretched the lead to four in the second inning when Reeb walked and scored on an Austin Goldman RBI single. Lee started the game on the mound and held Social Circle hitless through two. The Redskins were able to score two in the third and tied the game in the fourth on a two-run home run, knocking Lee our of the game. However, the Devils took the lead back in the home half of the fourth on an Aiken Davis RBI groundout and an error that scored Hollimon.

The Devils held the two-run lead through five innings with Reed on the mound. But Social Circle came back in the sixth with power. The Redskins put two on before launching a threerun homer to take a two-run lead. As expected, though, the Devils fought back in the home half of the sixth with clutch RBI's by Hollimon and Davis that tied the game once again.

Dalton Tankersley shut Social Circle down in the top half of the seventh, leaving it up to the Devil offense in the final half inning of the game. Reed started the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Lee. He reached third on a single by Reeb. With two outs and the winning run on third, Goldman delivered the clutch, walk-off RBI double to win the game, 9-8.

The Devils look to keep the momentum going as they enter their second week of the season. They will face Washington-Wilkes, Calhoun Falls, and Social Circle.