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Coach Cody Kremer’s team shone brightly at Bearcat Diamond, dominating the Monroe Golden Tornadoes 15-0 in just three innings. Sophomore pitcher Preston Deal delivered a perfect performance over three innings, striking out six of the 11 batters he faced. In his last 10 innings on the mound, Deal has not allowed any earned runs, struck out nine batters, and conceded only three hits.

“One of Preston’s strengths is his mental composure,” Kremer said. “Today compared to the TCC game, he didn’t have his best stuff, but he’s a competitor, he’s going to battle, nothing rattles him, and he’s a guy we can count on day in and day out.” 

Third baseman Parker Landrum scored the first run of the game by hitting a ground ball to second base that scored lead-off hitter No. 4 Jacob Barber in the bottom of the first inning. 

Barber enjoyed an outstanding afternoon, going a perfect two-for-two at the plate, driving in three runs, and crossing the plate twice himself.

It wasn’t until the bottom of the third that the avalanche of runs started, in the spectacular 14-run inning, the Bearcats showcased exceptional offensive firepower, overwhelming their opponents with a barrage of hits, patience at the plate forcing seven walks, and elusive base running. 

Barber hit a line drive single to left field that scored No. 13 Nate Cannon who hit a triple to center field and showcased his blazing speed. The Bearcats’ third run came courtesy of a wild pitch after a walk, a hit by pitch, and another walk. 

Left fielder, No. 18 Luke Griffin scored on the wild pitch, and Landrum would proceed to score on a passed ball with two outs in the bottom of the third. 

BHS’ two-out hitting and base running were evident, scoring 11 runs, catcher No. 34 Graham Beckham hammered a double through the in-field out to left field that would score Brooks Hines and Bowen Smith.

After Cannon was hit by a pitch, Barber hit a line drive single to right field that would score Cannon and Kennedy Washington, to make it 9-0. As a team, the Bearcats stole ten bases and were a home run from completing the cycle in the bottom of the third. 

A walk from Griffin and cleanup hitter Amarion Donaldson would drive in a run(s) with the bases loaded to make it 11-0, a single by Hines that got through the infield scored Landrum and advanced Donaldson to third base. Hines used his awareness and speed to take second base after a throwing error by the Golden Tornadoes outfield. 

Designated hitter Brennan Enfinger would then hit a ground ball and hustle to beat out the throw to first base, an infield throwing error would cause Donaldson and Hines to score to make it 14-0. Enfinger would take second base following the error, steal third, and on a wild pitch slide into home plate to end the game. 

Barber, Griffin, Landrum, Donaldson, and Hines all scored at least twice. Barber and Beckham drove in multiple runs each for the Bearcats in victory, and Donaldson, Enfinger, and Barber had at least two stolen bases. 

“Many of our mistakes right now are mental and a lack of focus,” Kremer said. “Every kid that is bought into this program, we’ll take two steps forward and one day take a step back, but the boys are determined to make things right, and it will require consistent focus each game. The mental side of baseball is more important than the physical stuff, and our mistakes aren’t physical.” 

The Bearcats followed their victory over the Golden Tornadoes with a hard-fought 6-5 loss against Thomasville last Thursday at Bearcat Diamond. Despite committing four errors, the Bearcats displayed moments of excellence, holding leads of 5-3 and 5-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings.

Senior pitcher No. 10 Parker Landrum delivered a commendable performance on the mound, facing 27 batters and throwing 104 pitches over five solid innings. He allowed just two earned runs on four hits, walked five, and struck out three, showcasing his resilience and skill.

Offensively, the Bearcats had several highlights. Griffin’s sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the second inning brought Hines home, putting the Bearcats on the scoreboard. In the fourth inning, No. 23 Smith hit a sharp single past second base, scoring Efinger to tie the game at three. Moments later, Cannon’s single past the pitching mound brought Griffin home, keeping the momentum alive.

The fifth inning brought further excitement. With runners on the corners and a 1-0 count, a wild pitch scored Landrum from third base. During the same at-bat, Beckham walked on ball four, and another wild pitch allowed Efinger to cross home plate, giving Bainbridge a 5-3 lead. Though the outcome wasn’t in their favor, the Bearcats showed grit throughout the game.

A quick turnaround was needed as BHS traveled to Monroe and had another dominant win defeating the Golden Tornadoes 10-2 staying undefeated in AAA Region 1 play. Hines had a remarkable outing on the mound throwing a complete game in 101 pitches, striking out 12 of the thirty batters he faced, giving up two runs, and only surrounding one walk. 

Late in the game, the Bearcats’ bats ignited, scoring four runs to secure an 8-2 lead. They added two more in the seventh, capitalizing on a passed ball and a Monroe infield error to reach double digits. Hines, Cannon and designated-hitter No. 7 Corbyn Thompson each had one run-batted-in but it was the nine errors the Bearcats capitalized on by showcasing evasive base running to win comfortably. 

BHS will host Dougherty to take on the Trojans this Thursday, March 13 at 5:30 p.m. and host Peach County next Tuesday on Bearcat Diamond beginning at 5:30 p.m.