Bearcats Baseball pay tribute to Remington Walden
Published 1:00 pm Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Photo submitted by Bearcat Dugout Club.
Photo submitted by Bearcat Dugout Club.
Photo submitted by Bearcat Dugout Club.
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Before the much-anticipated baseball showdown between in-town high schools Grace Christian and Bainbridge, the Bearcats took a moment to acknowledge their sponsors and pay tribute to Remington Walden. A commemorative plaque was presented to his family near the pitching mound. Walden, remembered fondly by many, would have been a member of the 2025 Senior class.
The Bearcats took an early lead in the third inning, scoring four runs and capitalizing on four Grace Christian errors to secure a 5-1 victory. No. 8 junior Brooks Hines and No. 6 senior Keith Eidson were the starting pitchers. Eidson threw 79 pitches over 3.0 innings, striking out four, walking four, and allowing four earned runs. Meanwhile, Hines pitched a complete game, striking out six batters, giving up three hits and one walk, and allowing only one run—a seventh-inning home run by No. 8 third baseman and pitcher Aiden Whittaker.
Commenting on the third inning’s offensive surge, Bainbridge baseball coach Ryan Riles said, “I was happy with that… seeing the ball and communicating with each other, letting them know if they saw something they could act on.” He credited the team’s improved timing and communication for their success.
Freshman second baseman Benji Dollar (No. 3) set the tone with aggressive base running, stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error. Left fielder Luke Griffin (No. 18) sparked the scoring with a line-drive single to center field. Griffin later stole second, setting up Hines, who delivered a fly ball to right field that scored Griffin and made it 2-0. Freshman Cole Henderson (No. 12), courtesy running for Hines, stole second and scored on No. 10 Parker Landrum’s single to left field. Landrum advanced to second on a throwing error and scored the inning’s fourth run on another infield error. In the fourth inning, No. 2 right fielder Amarion Donaldson added an insurance run, scoring on a wild pitch.
GCA head coach Nathan Nuñez reflected on how playing Bainbridge and Southwest Georgia Academy could improve his team. “I think a lot actually,” he said, praising Bainbridge’s ability to execute bunts and find hits. Nuñez acknowledged the Bearcarts’ strengths, noting their ability to move runners effectively. He remains optimistic that these challenging games will drive his team’s growth.
Whittaker pitched 3.0 scoreless relief innings, striking out three, allowing one hit, and issuing two walks. Offensively, Whittaker and catcher Noah Smith (No. 99) combined to go four-for-six at the plate. Smith hit a lead-off single and a single to center field in the sixth inning, while Whittaker contributed a line-drive single in the second and a home run in the seventh.
Riles emphasized the importance of the game for the community, describing it as “good for the community” and expressing his enjoyment in reconnecting with former players, saying, “It’s fun to get to see all the guys, and be able to deal with them again.” Reflecting on the team’s success, Riles said, “Any win, regardless of what team, is big, man. That’s motivation to kickstart, letting the guys know we can compete with anybody.”
The Bainbridge Bearcats head into the postseason with momentum, having won five of their last seven games. They’ll host the first round of playoffs this Friday at Bearcat Diamonds against Calhoun High School. It’ll be a best out of three games series with a doubleheader starting at 4:00 p.m., and if necessary, game three of the series will begin Saturday, April 26 at 2:00 pm.
