The Gatewood Gators opened their 2026 baseball season on a blustery, late-winter day, Feb. 23, with a 15-8 win at home over Strong Rock Christian Academy, out of Locust Grove.
Though originally scheduled to face Stockbridge for their season-opening game, the Gators and Tigers mutually agreed to cancel that matchup, giving Gatewood a new opponent in Strong Rock.
For such a high-scoring game, both Gatewood and Strong Rock got off to a slow start, holding each other scoreless through two innings.
Sophomore Lawson Moore got the opening-day nod for Gatewood on the mound and pitched well, striking out two batters and allowing just one hit through the first two innings. But with one Patriot on base to start the third inning, Strong Rock batter Blake Chip homered to left center field to lift the Patriots to an early 2-0 lead.
Gatewood quickly answered, however, as Brady Haley got a base hit to center field, paving the way for Jayden Moss to hit the ball deep to left center field, clearing the fence and tying the game at two in the bottom of the third.
Moss’ homer put a charge into the Gators’ offense, which scored six more runs in the third inning to give Gatewood an 8-2 advantage.
Strong Rock was not done, however, storming back with five runs in the top of the fourth to cut the Gators’ lead to 8-7.
Gatewood was held scoreless in the bottom half of the fourth before Moss, now in as the Gators’ relief pitcher, struck out two batters and held the Patriots scoreless in the fifth inning.
In his debut outing with the Gators, sophomore Ben Pearson made his only hit of the afternoon count in the fifth inning. He hit a three-run bomb over the left field fence to give the Gators an 11-7 lead.
This seemed to light another spark for Gatewood, as it scored four more runs, leading to the eventual 15-8 season-opening final.
Pitchers Moore and Moss combined to strike out 10 Patriots while allowing eight hits and eight runs, while walking just three batters.
The Gators’ offense combined for an even dozen hits, led by Moss with three, including a pair of doubles, one home run, and six RBIs. Haley, Connor Mitchem, and Drew Love each had two-hit games.
The Gators hosted Harvester Christian Academy on Tuesday, past press time, and then traveled to Macon on Thursday to face Central Georgia Arts.
Next Monday, Gatewood will continue on the road with a game against Augusta Christian before making the short trip to Piedmont Academy in Monticello for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on Tuesday night. The Gators’ next home game is Friday, March 6, with a 6 p.m. start against Athens Christian.