BRUNSWICK — Walker Hudson raced home from third base on a one-out passed ball in the bottom of the fifth inning giving Ware County a 5-4 lead en route to beating Whitewater 7-4 for the Gators' first win of the season here Friday afternoon at the “Battle at the Beach”.
WCHS (1-5) surrendered a two-run lead in the top of the fifth, allowing three runs to the Wildcats (3-2) to trail 4-3 in the February 20 tilt. Seth Suess (3-for-4) led off the home half with a single, and moved up when Hudson (1-for-2) followed with an opposite single two pitches.
After Suess advanced to third on a wild pitch and Hudson stole second, Collin Crawford (2-for-2) worked a walk loading the bases. Keaton Holloway (1-for-3) beat out an infield hit scoring Suess, tying the game at 4-apiece. Reliever Zack Hicks' first pitch was mishandled by Michael Temples, allowing Hudson to score the eventual winning run from third.
Ware County tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, extending its margin to 7-4. Garrison Joyner (1-for-3) and Slade Sweat (1-for-4) drove ground balls through the infield for backto- back hits. Joyner was thrown out at third trying to take an extra base, with Sweat advancing to second on the play at third.
Suess followed with a run-scoring single, plating Slade for a 6-4 advantage. Hudson was hit by a pitch with Landon Smallwood (2-for-3) drawing a walk to load the bases. Crawford delivered a run-scoring hit on a 1-2 pitch, plating Suess with the final run.
Whitewater plated the first run of the game in the second inning against Ryder Kinnon (2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K, 3 BB, 2 HBP), after escaping a bases loaded situation in the Gators' first at bat. Suess singled with one out, Smallwood delivered a two-out single and Crawford walked loaded the bases.
The Wildcats received a one-out walk, and consecutive two-out walks loading the bases. A hit batter forced home the lead runner for a 1-0 lead.
The Gators finally chased home runs in the bottom of the third scoring three times. Hudson reached on a oneout walk, with Smallwood following two pitches later with a base hit. Crawford singled to right with Hudson racing home when the ball was misplayed tying the game at 1-all.
Smallwood and Crawford, who advanced on the miscue, both scored on Blake Gunter's (2-for-3) single to center for a 3-1 lead.
Whitewater put together a three-run fifth against Trace Crosby (2+ IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 1 BB) and Sweat (3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 K, 1 BB, 1 WP). After Crosby surrendered a leadoff single, Sweat was greeted with a double putting runners at second and third. An ensuing first-pitch single tied the game at 3-apiece. A one-out, run-scoring single put the Wildcats in front 4-3.
Sweat worked around a leadoff walk to start the sixth and a leadoff single in the seventh.
