Gatewood went undefeated again last week versus George Walton Academy (GWA) and swept Westminster Christian (WCA) in a two-game series.
The Gators opened their week at home in Eatonton on March 18 against George Walton in what turned out to be a high-scoring ball game.
Lawson Wooten got the start on the mound for the Gators and despite issuing two walks early, was able to escape the top of the first inning with no runs allowed.
Gatewood’s leadoff hitters, Caleb Riser and Hunter Johnson, also struck out to start the first inning, but Ames Johnson ignited the Gators’ bats with a double to left field. After Johnson stole third, Walker Roberts reached first on a walk and Johnson scored on a single by Ben Brannen.
Gatewood extended its lead when John Wallace Thompson reached first on an infield error scoring Roberts, but a tag out of Brannen at home plate ended the inning. With a 2-0 lead, the Gators made quick work of the Bulldogs’ bats in the second inning.
With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Gatewood’s Hunter Johnson singled to right field, scoring Jayden Moss to extend the Gators’ lead to three. Ames Johnson and Walker Roberts then popped out and struck out, respectively, to end the inning.
GWA scored its first run in the third with two runners on with a base hit to left field that cut Gatewood’s lead to 3-1. Another runner reached on a walk before the Bulldogs busted the game wide open with a grand slam home run to left field, giving the Bulldogs a 5-3 lead.
By the bottom of the third, the Gators faced a 7-3 deficit, but a Ben Brannen base hit was the start of what turned out to be a big comeback.
With two outs, Riser got a base hit to right field, scoring Brannen and cutting GWA’s lead to three. Hunter Johnson then scored Wilson Moore on a fly ball hit to center field before the inning ended on a strikeout.
Lawson Moore entered the game in relief of Lawson Wooten in the fourth inning and got off to a rough start. With two runners on and one out, a sacrifice fly ball allowed a runner to tag and advance to boost the Bulldogs to an 8-5 lead.
Moore finished off the inning by forcing an infield fly out to first baseman Trey Wiggins.
Gatewood resumed its comeback with a single and a hit-by-pitch to put runners at first and second in the fourth inning. With one out, Wilson Moore singled to center field to score Roberts from third.
Jayden Moss reached base on his first hit of the afternoon scoring Brannen and bringing the Gators within one run of tying the Bulldogs at eight. But with just one out, a pair of Gatewood batters struck out to end the inning.
After walking the first batter of the fifth inning, Moore recovered on the mound with three consecutive outs.
Ames Johnson led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double to center field and after one strikeout, Brannen grounded out to second, but Johnson scored from third base to tie the game 8-8 before a Gatewood strikeout ended the inning.
After 8th-grader Lawson Moore put together a scoreless sixth inning, Caleb Riser would finally return the lead to Gatewood with a double to left field that scored pinch runner Jack Wooten, followed by a Hunter Johnson RBI triple to center field that scored two runs.
Hunter Johnson scored the Gators’ 12th and final run of the game on an Ames Johnson ground out before the inning ended on a strikeout. With the Bulldogs unable to respond in the seventh inning, Gatewood won 12-8 to improve to 5-2 on the season.
Moore was credited with the win after pitching 2.1 innings, striking out three and walking one batter while giving up one run and two talks.
A pair of big region wins over Westminster Christian followed, first at home Tuesday night with a 13-2 score, followed by a Gators 13-1 win on Thursday in Watkinsville that improved Gatewood’s overall record to 7-2, 3-0 so far this season.
Gatewood continued region play with a home-and-home again this week, hosting Brentwood (3-6, 1-1) on Tuesday (past press time) before visiting Sandersville to play the War Eagles again on Friday.