The Gatewood Baseball Team (19-10, 12-2 AA) took a tough 10-8 loss to Terrell in the GISA AA state championship game.
There was plenty of offense from both squads as 18 total runs were scored on 16 total hits. Gatewood plated 8 runs on 8 hits and 3 errors by Terrell. Freshman Walker Roberts led the Gators’ offense going 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a run scored. He was the only player in the team’s lineup with a triple and one of two players with multi-base hits as Ames Johnson also rifled a double.
Ben Brannen, one of only 2 eighth graders on the roster, had the second-best offensive performance with 2 hits in 3 at-bats while driving in 2 runs and scoring. He also had the lone stolen base for the Gators.
Four Gatewood players contributed 2 RBIs each, which accounted for all eight of the runs, including Brannen, Roberts, Gavin Fried and Caleb Riser, who also was the only Gator to round the bases twice for scores.
The Gators cycled through three pitchers through six innings of play. Sophomore Trace Woods got the start and threw one complete inning, allowing two runs on four walks. The first reliever was freshman John Wallace Thompson, who threw four complete innings while allowing eight runs, seven of which were earned, on eight hits and got the loss. He also struck out three batters in his outing. Another freshman, Wilson Moore, pitched the final inning, allowing no runs or hits with two walks.
The Gator offense scored consistently through the contest until posting zero runs in the final two innings. Six runs scored by Terrell in the bottom of the fourth inning ultimately secured the win and the championship for them.
With the state championship game loss, Gatewood Baseball closed out its season and has not yet released a summer or fall schedule.