Bearcats’ bats come alive in season sweep of Westover
Published 12:41 pm Friday, March 28, 2025
Photo via BHS Dugout Club
Photo via BHS Dugout Club
Photo via BHS Dugout Club
Photo via BHS Dugout Club
Photo via BHS Dugout Club
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On March 25, 2025, Youth Night at Bearcat Diamonds celebrating the community spirit and local talent. The Bearcats secured a decisive 7–1 victory over Westover, and the event—kicked off at 5:15 p.m. with free entry for Bainbridge-Decatur County Recreation League Ball Players—sparked excitement among fans and young athletes alike. The ceremonial first pitch and the vibrant crowd underscored the team’s deep bond with the community and inspired the next generation of Bearcat baseball players.
No. 10 pitcher Parker Landrum excelled, throwing on the rubber and going 6.0 innings, striking out 10 batters, surrendering just three hits and one run that was earned. Landrum faced 25 batters, throwing 106 pitches, 65 of which were strikes.
“He’s a maximum effort guy with everything he does,” Bainbridge baseball coach Cody Kremer said regarding Landrum’s performance on the mound. “Which at times can hurt someone, but against Westover he was using his mechanics, staying smooth, he was getting ahead of hitters counts, and when you get ahead of the count the hitters average drops tremendously. He was pitching with a lot of confidence, due to allowing his mechanics to flow.”
BHS gave Landrum an early lead to work behind, scoring two runs, one each in the bottom of the first and second inning. With two outs in the bottom of the first inning and Brooks Hines at-bat, shortstop No. 4 Jacob Barber scored on a passed ball.
Right fielder No. 2, Amarion Donaldson, delivered a sacrifice fly that scored first baseman No. 23, Bowen Smith, who tagged up from third base, giving the Bearcats an early 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the fourth inning, after Westover had narrowed the lead to one run, second baseman No. 6 Benji Dollar hit a ground ball and reached first base on an error that scored Smith.
“He (Amarion) has always seen the ball well,” Kremer said. “And he’s able to connect with the barrel and put it in play. He’s been a guy we’ve counted on all year. When you have Nate Cannon getting on base every game, and you have Amarion hitting behind him, it’s huge for us. Graham Beckham is starting to see the ball well again and swing it. There are several RBI opportunities; Parker’s bat is coming around. We’ve got to have all those guys going to be successful.”
The bottom of the sixth inning was where the Bearcats extended their lead, building insurance runs with a single by Donaldson out to center field that scored Smith and Kennedy Washington. Barber had a sacrifice fly that scored Donaldson after he tagged up from third base to make it 6-1 Bearcats. Left fielder No. 18 Luke Griffin singled on a 2-2 count with a ground ball to center field that scored Dollar to give the Bearcats a six-run lead.
Griffin had three stolen bases in the regional win, while Donaldson and Dollar each had two. Hines, Landrum, and Barber also had one stolen base each. No. 15 pitcher Preston Hutto entered the seventh inning and struck out one Patriot batter. Catcher No. 34, Graham Beckham, secured the final out by throwing out a runner who was attempting to steal third base.
Last Friday at 5:30 p.m., the Bearcats (6-11, 5-3) traveled to Albany to face the Patriots and posted a commanding 18–6 victory. With 15 hits on the game, they unleashed an explosive offensive onslaught that boosted their AAA Region 1 record to 5–3. Senior players Cannon and Smith shined by hitting their first high school home runs during a dramatic seven-run third inning surge. Smith ignited the rally with a solo home run to left on an 0–2 count, and Cannon capped the burst with a two-run blast, giving BHS a commanding 13–2 lead.
At the plate, the Bearcats posted an impressive team batting average of .517. Key contributions came from third baseman Landrum and center fielder Cannon, who recorded four and five RBIs, respectively. Senior catcher Beckham also contributed, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, including a single in the top of the first inning that scored freshman Cole Henderson (No. 12). Additionally, left fielder Luke Griffin was in the zone hitting second, going 4-for-5 with singles in the first, second, third, and fifth innings, plus a walk in the top of the fourth.
The role of the second batter is critical in creating offense, as they are expected to make consistent contact, move the leadoff hitter into scoring position, and sometimes participate in hit-and-run plays. In one instance during the game, Landrum’s double to center got the Bearcats on the board and jump-started BHS’ batting bonanza. His timely line drive single in the seven-run third inning then pushed the score to 11–2.
This 18-run performance was the Bearcats’ highest scoring output since last March, when they tallied 19 runs against the Westover Patriots in a doubleheader. Coach Kremer’s squad is gearing up for what’s ahead as they travel to Leon—where first pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.—and then host non-region opponent Valdosta on Friday, March 4th. The Bearcats then head to Cairo on Tuesday, March 8th, to start a pivotal AAA Region 1 series likely to vie for second place.
