BASEBALL TEAMS LOOK TO EXTEND SEASONS

Of four area high school baseball teams still in the running Tuesday night for region championships, only Class 6A Mosley could host next week if it continues to maintain home-field advantage. That would be fine for 1A Chipley, which entertains South Walton in a regional final. That winner advances to the state semifinals on May 24 in Fort Myers. Bay travels to Marianna for a 5A semifinal. The winner will have to journey to Jacksonville next week in quest of a state berth. All games begin at 7 p.m. Gulf Breeze (20-7) at Mosley (24-2) Mosley coach Jon Hudson thought it would come down to two teams both nicknamed the Dolphins at this stage of the playoffs. His scouting missions told him as much. “It became apparent to me that Gulf Breeze looked like it was up on the other teams in that area,” Hudson said. “They’re athletic. The first time I watched them I didn’t get there until the third inning and I couldn’t tell where they were in the lineup. “I could tell the (Nos.) 3 and 4, but 1 through 9 they’re all hitting for good averages and have some team speed as well.” Mosley has a distinct edge in power numbers, R.J. Yeager with a team-leading six home runs out of his team’s 18 total to just 2 for Gulf Breeze. What isn’t as distinctive is who Gulf Breeze will pitch. Jack Martin, Austin Wines and Reddon McLaurine all have started postseason games, and in junior Noah Bryant Gulf Breeze has a pitcher who throws in the low 90s, Hudson said, and has 19 strikeouts and 3 walks in 10 innings. “They’re (starters) all about the same velocity but I don’t know who they’ll start,” Hudson said. Regardless, Mosley will counter with starter Nicky Agosto and closer Michael Cullen and seems to go about its business no matter who it plays. “We’ve got a lot of good players and can put a lot of experienced guys out there on the field who have won before,” Hudson said. “They’re not going to go out there and get nervous. I think we’ll play well. “At this point it’s just important to get the job done, however we need to.” Clay and Paxon, who both were district runners-up, are alive in the other half of the region bracket. Thus the added home game should Mosley advance. Bay (15-10) at Marianna (21-9) Bay offers ready proof that if you’re still playing at this stage of the season you’re going to have an outstanding pitcher thrown against you. After surviving Godby ace Logan Lacey last week the Tornadoes play at Marianna Tuesday and Bulldogs’ No. 1 Cameron Gray. The 6-foot-3 left-hander has committed to Auburn, according to Bay head coach Andrew Starr, and comes in with an 8-1 record and 1.53 ERA. Gray tossed a two-hit shutout in Marianna’s region quarterfinal win over Rutherford last week. “I think with a good guy on the mound they feel like they can beat anybody,” Starr said. “They’ll probably play for three or four runs any way they can get them thinking that with (Gray) that will be enough.” Bay won’t stray from its pitching strategy of Marquez Oates, then Dawson Erbacher game plan. Oates pitched into the seventh inning against Godby before two hits and a pitch count did him in. Erbacher closed out a hard-fought victory. Because of the stakes Starr said he’ll “play it by ear” on how long he goes with starter Oates if the senior doesn’t have his best stuff. “If we’re going to lose I want somebody who has busted his butt for the program, I want him on the mound,” Starr said. “But if Erbacher gives us the best chance to win if we go with him early we might have to do that.” The Tornadoes had some solid at-bats against Godby and could use more of the same against a Bulldogs’ team a little more balanced throughout the order. Junior shortstop Josh Baxly hits .412 with 32 runs batted in. Gray is selective at the plate with 24 walks to go with a .409 average. He’s also stolen 28 bases, Marianna with 127 as a team, and scored 41 runs. Maxx Harrell hits .329 with 26 RBIs and regulars Brolin Van Huss and Pender Johnson also are above .300. South Walton (22-6-1) at Chipley (19-7) Chipley coach Andy Compton described his ballclub’s turnaround from regular season shutout losses to South Walton to a 16-6 win over the Seahawks in the district championship in two words. Adam Richards. “The first two times we played them we faced their No. 1 guy (Richards). He’s pretty good,” Compton said. “He no-hit us the first time (5-0) and the second time (3-0) we had some chances. “In the district final they’d used him in the semis so we didn’t face him. They helped us a little bit in the field and we just hit it better.” The Tigers are sure to see Richards again tonight. Compton said he wasn’t sure who he’ll counter with. Sophomore Brayden Gainey pitched into the sixth inning in Chipley’s 2-1 region semifinal against Bozeman and Tripp Hodges finished up and got the win. Grant Rowell also is in the mix.

BASEBALL TEAMS LOOK TO EXTEND SEASONS

Photo Credit: Mosley High School Athletics

Contact Us