Second-ranked Benedictine regained control of Region 1-AAAA winning Game 3 6-1 to clinch the series with 10th-ranked Ware County Friday night, in a matchup of Top 10 teams.
The Cadets (21-5 overall, 10-2 region) hold the tie-breaker over the Gators (17-9, 10-2) heading into the last week of region play. Benedictine closes with bottom feeder New Hampstead (4-15, 111) while Ware County faces Wayne County (1512, 8-4).
The Yellow Jackets visited Monday, April 13 for Game 1 of the series, which shifted Tuesday, April 14 to Jesup. Ware County will host Game 3 Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m.
After splitting the first two games Tuesday, April 7 in Savannah (6-5 Game 1 BC; 11-5 Game 2 WCHS), Benedictine scored all of its runs in the first four innings of the April 10 series finale, sandwiching a pair of two-run rallies around a pair of one-run innings.
The Cadets opened the game putting the first two batters on with singles against Ryder Kinnon (2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 K, 1 BB).
The first two consecutive groundouts moved the runners to second and third with the second driving home the first run for a 1-0 lead BC would not relinquish. A throwing error allowed the second run to score for the tworun advantage. Ware County was able to cash in on the wildness of Cadet starter Kai Hernandez- Gambill (1+ IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 3 K) in the bottom of the inning to get to within 2-1.
Seth Suess (3-for-4) lined a one-out single. After the second out, Hernandez- Gambill walked Landon Smallwood, Isaiah White (1-for-2) and Walker Hudson in succession, forcing home Suess. Both White and Walker drew four-pitch free passes.
Benedictine got the run back in the top of the second with a leadoff walk coming home to roost. A one-out single was followed by a run-scoring double for a 3-1 lead.
The Cadets turned to Mason O’Neal (6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 K, 2 BB, 1 WP) after Keaton Holloway opened the Ware County second with a leadoff walk. After Hernandez- Gambill needed 38 pitches to face the first eight batters, O’Neil threw just 68 pitches to the 22 batters he faced.
BC increased its lead to 4-1 in the third scoring a run against Slade Sweat (4+ IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 4 BB). A leadoff single and a one-out single put runners on the corners. An ensuing sacrifice fly to right plated the runner from third.
Benedictine scored its final two runs in the fourth aided by an error. A leadoff single was followed by the miscue. A fielder’s choice groundout and a strikeout had the Gators on the verge of escaping.
Three consecutive walks kept the inning moving and forced home two runs before the final out was recorded.
Suess stopped a run of nine straight Gators retired by O’Neal with a two-out single in the fifth. White singled with one out in the sixth.
Ware County left two runners on in the seventh. Collin Crawford drew a two-out walk with Suess following with his third hit of the afternoon.
Ashton Suess relieved Sweat in the seventh after a leadoff walk and retired the next three Cadets.
