Warriors fall in second round

Seniors and coaches get together after their last game in Dublin: Coach Kenny Wesley, Senior Matthew Cleveland, Coach Tommy Manry, Senior DJ Simpson, Coach Max Evans, Senior Russ Williams, Coach Alan Lee.

The SGA Warriors traveled up to Dublin Monday to play the Trinity Christian Crusaders in a best 2-of-3 series in the second round of the state baseball playoffs. The Warriors lost a heartbreaker in game one 7-6 but rebounded to win game two 11-1 to force a third and final game on Tuesday. In the third and final game, Trinity jumped out to an early lead and held off a late Warrior rally to win the game, 10-5, and bring the Warriors' season to an end.

In game one the Warriors jumped on Trinity in the first inning. Miles Lee led off the game with a single, and Drew Bridges and Russ Williams followed with bunt singles to load the bases with no outs. Matthew Cleveland drove in Lee with the Warriors' first run with a one out single. With two outs, Chandler Ray delivered the big hit, a clutch 3 RBI double in the left-center gap to put SGA up 4-0.

SGA Warriors (front row) DJ Simpson, Chandler Ray, Boone Kennedy, Drew Bridges, Miles Lee, Blake Lanton, Will Brown, Matthew Cleveland; (back row) Todd Davis, Coach Tommy Manry, Coach Max Evans, Danny Doster, Alex Wilson, Michael Fincher, Alan Mock Jamie Barton, Beau Warriors fall in second round Clenney, Russ Williams, Auston Boyd, Coach Kenny Wesley, Coach Alan Lee

SGA added another run in the second inning. Lee singled with one out, stole second base, and scored on a RBI single by Bridges.

Trinity scored a run in the bottom of the second inning and another in the fourth inning to make it a 5-2 game.

Neither team could score any more runs until the seventh inning. Bridges walked, moved to third on a Williams single, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cleveland, giving the Warriors a seemingly comfortable 6-2 lead going into Trinity's final at bat.

Trinity won the game in their final at bat scoring 5 runs on 5 hits, 1 walk, and 1 Warrior error.

It was absolutely a heartbreaking loss, and the Warriors had to turn right around and play another game. After suffering such a disappointing defeat, it would have been easy for the team to quit, but there was no quit in the Warriors. SGA came back and pounded Trinity 11-1 in six innings.

Bridges and Williams scored in the first inning to put SGA up 2-0 after one inning of play.

After a scoreless second inning, Trinity scored their only run in the top of the third inning.

SGA answered with 2 runs in the bottom half of the inning with DJ Simpson and Cleveland scoring on a 2 RBI single by Michael Fincher making the score 4-1.

SGA broke the game open with 5 more runs in the fourth inning as Will Brown, Beau Clenney, Lee, Blake Lanton, and Williams all scored for the Warriors.

The Warriors ended the game with the mercy rule in the sixth inning. Alex Wilson reached on an error and scored on a single by Lee. Clenney scored the games' final run when the Trinity pitcher balked.

Drew Bridges went the distance on the mound for the Warriors, improving his record to 8-1 on the season. Bridges gave up 1 run on 6 hits with 2 strike outs and 1 walk.

Michael Fincher led the Warriors at the plate with 2 hits and 3 RBI. Russ Williams had 2 hits and 2 RBI.

After the Warriors came back to win the second game on Monday, it forced a third and deciding game on Tuesday. On Tuesday the Warriors did not play their best game. SGA committed several fielding and mental errors, made costly base running blunders, and struggled at the plate most of the game.

Trinity jumped to a 3-0 lead early when the Crusaders catcher Jeremy Stone hit a 3- run homer.

SGA got on the scoreboard in the second inning after Michael Fincher singled and came around to score.

Trinity added 2 more runs in the third and fifth innings and 3 more in the sixth inning to take a 10-1 lead.

The Warriors mounted a comeback in the seventh inning, pushing 4 runs across, but it was nowhere near enough to get out of the hole they were in.

T he Warriors finished a very successful 2007 season with a record of 19-8. The Warriors will be losing three seniors to graduation this year: Russ Williams, DJ Simpson, and Matthew Cleveland. They were the heart (3,4,5) of the batting order and will be sorely missed next year. Williams was also the ace of the pitching staff which makes his departure even that much tougher. However the Warriors are returning a good nucleus of players that should have Coach Manry and the Warriors in the thick of things come playoff time next year. Congratulations on a great season, Warriors!