The Bainbridge High School Bearcats shutout Albany’s Westover High School Patriots10-0 in five innings here Wednesday to increase their Region 1-AAAA baseball record to 4-0.
They were just coming off a 7-5 Friday, March 6, Region 1-AAAA victory over the Crisp County High School Cougars in Cordele.
The Bearcats grabbed a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against Westover. Left fielder Carson Inlow opened the inning with a hard single to right. Shortstop Keith Lyle followed with a walk. Both runners came home on a double to right by third baseman Will Kelley.
Kelley went to third on a wild pitch and came in with the third run on an RBI double to right by catcher Blake Merchant. Merchant went to third on a wild pitch and came in on an RBI double to right by Tyler Storey. Storey went to third on a fielder’s choice and came home with the fifth run on a wild pitch.
The Bearcats added a run in the bottom of the fourth to make it 6-0. Catcher Blake Merchant was hit by a pitch to open the inning. After first baseman Seth Hall flied out to deep left for the first out, Storey lined a double to left center to drive in Merchant with the sixth run.
The Bearcats scored their final four runs in the bottom of the fifth to close out the victory. With one out, Storey lined a hard double to right center and came home with the seventh run on an RBI double to right center by Anderson Bailey. Ty Varnum singled home Bailey with the eighth run.
Bailey moved up to second on a fielder’s choice, and came in with the ninth run on an RBI single to center by Carson Inlow, who went to second on a wild pitch and came in with the final run on a double by Keith Lyle.
In their win over Crisp County, Bearcat left fielder Carson Inlow went 2-for-4 with singles in the third and seventh innings, driving in a run and scoring two more.
Tyler Braswell picked up the win for the Bearcats, allowing four runs over five and a third innings. He struck out seven, walked three and gave up five hits. Bearcats first baseman Seth Hall blasted a solo home run for the Bearcats in the bottom of the sixth. There were five lead changes in the game.