SGA Warriors run rule Randolph Southern
by Paul Bridges

Drew Bridges pitches shutout against Randolph Southern.

The SGA Warriors got region play underway Tuesday in Damascus against the Randolph Southern Patriots. The Warriors pounded the Patriots, 10-0, in a 5 inning run rule win. The Warriors had base runners on every inning and scored in all but one inning while holding the Patriots scoreless.

The Patriots' lead-off batter singled to open the game, but he was quickly erased on a nice 6-4-3 double play, Miles Lee to Taylor Tabb to Boone Kennedy. The next Patriot batter grounded out to end the inning and send the Warriors to the plate.

Miles Lee led off with a walk and stole second base. Michael Fincher reached on an error, and Drew Bridges singled up the middle to plate Lee with the Warriors' first run. With two out, Alex Wilson hit a 2 RBI double, plating Bridges and courtesy runner Blake Lanton to put SGA up 3-0.

The Patriots went down in order in the second inning, and the Warriors left Lee stranded at third base to end the only scoreless inning of the game.

Bridges reached on an error to start the bottom of the third inning for SGA. With one out, Danny Doster ripped a triple to right center, scoring Andrew Stone who was a courtesy runner for Bridges, SGA's pitcher.

Wilson followed with a sacrifice fly to center to push Doster across the plate.

Alan Mock singled to right and moved up to second base on a wild pitch. Beau Clenney singled to left to score Mock and put SGA up 6-0 after three innings.

The Warriors kept rolling in the fourth inning. Fincher and Bridges got things going with backto back singles. Chandler Ray knocked Fincher and courtesy runner Stone with a stand up double to deep left center. Courtesy runner Blake Lanton came in to run for Ray, SGA's catcher. Lanton scored as Doster laced a line drive single to right field to put the Warriors up 9-0.

The Warriors needed just one run to end the game in the fifth inning, and they took care of it in classic, textbook style.

Clenney led off the inning with a single to left field to get the winning run on base. Lanton came in to pinch run for Clenney, putting good speed on the bases. Boone Kennedy followed with a perfect bunt to move Lanton to second base and into scoring position. Finally, just as Coach Manry had it written up in his play book, Lee ripped a single to right, plating Lanton with the game ending run.

Leading the Warriors at the plate were Danny Doster with 2 hits, a triple and 2 RBI; Drew Bridges with 2 hits, an RBI; and Beau Clenney with 2 hits and an RBI. Bridges (2-0) went the distance for the Warriors on the mound, getting his second win and first shutout of the season. Bridges allowed no runs on 3 hits with one walk and 3 strike-outs. The Warriors backed Bridges up with solid defense, committing just one error in the game.

SGA traveled to Thomasville to play a very strong Brookwood team in another region game Friday. The Warriors had chances but could not get the big hit with runners on base and fell to Brookwood 4-1 in a hard fought baseball game.

SGA scored first with a run in the top of the second inning. Austin Boyd led off with a double to left center field, and Michael Fincher drove him in with an RBI double in the gap in right center.

Brookwood answered back with a run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game up, 1-1.

Brookwood took the lead scoring 2 runs in the fifth inning and added an insurance run in the sixth to go up 4-1.

Jeb Johnson, the Brookwood pitcher, held the Warrior bats in check, limiting SGA to 4 hits, 2 singles by Bridges and a double each by Boyd and Fincher. Johnson struck out 8 and walked 5 batters.

Bridges (2-1) went the distance on the mound for SGA, scattering 8 hits with one walk and one strikeout.

The Warriors will take a little time off for spring break then return to action April 4 with a doubleheader against Sherwood in Damascus starting at 3:00.

Go, Warriors!