The Kings soundly defeated the Augusta Green Jackets, 11-1, in a Heinrich League game July 15 at Holcom. The third-place Kings improved to 7-6 in league play, while the fourth-place Jackets dropped to 3-11 on the year.

Mitch Whitson pitched a complete game for the Kings, who jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning.

It was a strong performance for a Kings squad coming off an 11-1 loss to the Thunder earlier in the week.

“The kids played great,” Kings Coach Mark Schoneweis said after the game. “They came back after a loss and got things going.”

Ryan Wingert, Taylor Gentry, Tyler Bailey, Graham Saunders and Cody Bonham all scored runs for the Kings in the first inning. Bailey, Cory Delg and Whitson drove in runners during this stretch.

The Jackets scored a run of their own in the bottom of the frame, when Andy Thurlow singled and came around to score on a ball hit by Blake Jackson.

But that was all the Jackets could get out of the inning, as Kings’ second baseman Daniel Aul made two fine plays on ground balls to record the last two outs.

The Kings continued to add runs in the top of the second inning. First Andrew Schoneweis scored on a wild pitch. Then, after Gentry reached on an error, Saunders singled to bring him home.

Delg doubled to center field to score Saunders and put the Kings up, 8-1. Jackets’ pitcher Andy Thurlow cleanly fielded a grounder to get the Jackets out of the inning.

The Kings held the Jackets scoreless again in the bottom of the second inning, as Whitson struck out two batters and third baseman Delg made a fine pickup of a ground ball off the bat of Alex Cullumber, firing to first baseman Sunders for the out.

Kings pitcher Mitch Whitson tags Jackets runner Blake Jackson out at home after being caught in a rundown in a Heinrich League game July 15. The Kings won the game 11-1 at Holcom.

Thurlow and the Jackets shutout the Kings in the top of the third frame. Thurlow got some help from his catcher, Alan Callahan. First Callahan caught Bobby Davis’ pop-up behind the plate and then threw to first base to double off Whitson, who was running on the play. The next batter, Wingert, hit a high pop-up in foul territory. Callahan went after the ball and caught it while leaning against the fence near the third-base line.

Despite Callahan’s defensive efforts, the Kings were too much for the Jackets. They added three more in the top of the fourth inning, with Saunders hitting a monster triple that rolled to the fence in left field to score Schoneweis.

Whitson struck out three Jackets in the bottom of the frame.

Callahan also pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief for the Jackets.