HIGH OCTANE: GA wins series over Effingham after 11-4
Mar. 9—When the Glynn Academy Red Terrors can put a touchdown worth of runs on the board, they win. Wednesday night they were able to do just that even after a shaky start to the game against Effingham County.
Giving the ball to lefty Jeb Carson to start the game, things didn't favor the sophomore as an error in center allowed Effingham's leadoff hitter — Caden Kessler — to stand on third base. Scoring on an RBI single on the next at-bat, Carson found himself in more trouble as he loaded the bases after failing to make a play to any base on a bunt attempt.
Q King stepped up to the plate and drilled a single up in the middle with the Rebels intending to score multiple runners. Charging hard from his center field spot, Wessley Roberson threw out Blake Hendrix as he made his way home. With the ball landing perfectly for Glynn's catcher Hugh Edgy to make a play, the tag gave the Terrors the first out of the inning.
Effingham scored on the following at-bat to give itself a 3-0 lead, but that lead would quickly disappear.
"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth," said Glynn Academy manager John Welborn. "We took their punch in the mouth, and we had a plan and we responded."
Going down to two outs in quick succession in the bottom of the first, Trent Tankersley started the rally for Glynn Academy with a single to short. Beating out the throw, Tankersley moved another 90 feet when Hank Noonan was hit with a pitch. Greyson Gegg worked a quick four-pitch walk to load the bases for Ryan Schueneman to do damage on the struggling Hendrix.
Hitting a 2-1 pitch up the middle of the field for a two-RBI single, the momentum continued as Hugh Edgy hit a full-count pitch to right to score two more runs and give the Terrors a 4-3 lead.
Starting the top of the second with a new face on the mound, Eli Newbern came on in relief for Carson and never faltered with the 4-3 lead. Getting three ground outs, with shortstop Gus Gandy making a diving play up the middle and gunning out the Rebel in time, the highlight play was one of many on the night by the junior. But this particular one drew praise from Welborn.
"That play, your average kid doesn't make that," Welborn said of the diving play up the middle. "That's high-level play right there."
