The Southeast Bulloch Middle School baseball team capped off a great season by winning its region championship last week -- sweeping the Richmond Hill Wildcats in a best-of-three series two games to none.
In the first game, SEB was victorious by a score of 9-7. The Jackets jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning after a Kase Dye walk and a Rhett Morgan double set the stage for Nicholas Newkirk, who laced the first pitch he saw into center field for a double to score both runners. The Jackets found another run in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead after Morgan singled, stole second, and later scored on a wild pitch.
The relentless Wildcats battled back to tie the game at three in the top of the fourth inning, but the Jackets immediately responded in the bottom half scoring six runs to take a commanding 9-3 lead. James Lee led off the bottom of the inning with a single. Brant Horst came in for Lee and stole second and third and by putting pressure on the Wildcat defense, scored on a throwing error. After a subsequent walk by Aaden Peterson and a strikeout, the Jackets reeled off five straight hits against the Richmond Hill ace, including three straight doubles by Ethan Thompson, Dye, and Morgan.
Two run-scoring singles by Newkirk and Peyton Grams extended the lead to six runs. The Wildcats refused to give up and scored runs over the next three innings to cut the lead to two runs at 9-7, but Thompson was able to eliminate any further threat.
Murphy Grovenstein was outstanding on the mound earning the pivotal game one win, going five strong innings while allowing only two earned runs and striking out five Richmond Hill batters. The Jackets were led at the plate by Dye (2 for 3, two runs scored and an RBI), Morgan (3 for 4, two runs scored and an RBI), and Newkirk (2 for 4, with 3 RBI’s and a run scored).
In the championship-clinching game two victory, the Jackets used the momentum from the game one win to run rule the Wildcats in five innings 12-0. After a scoreless first inning, the Jackets got things started in a big way putting up nine runs in the second inning. Peyton Grams started the inning with a single. After Grams advanced to third, Landen Huggins hit a ground ball to shortstop, reaching on an error but scoring the run to get the Jackets on the board. Jamie Pittman followed with a single to right field scoring Huggins from second.
With the Wildcat pitcher struggling to locate the strike zone, the Jackets were able find many baserunners and runs, all with two outs. With the bases loaded and Huggins up again for the second time in the inning, he roped a line drive to center, plating Morgan and Newkirk to take an 8-0 lead that the Jackets would never relinquish.
SEBMS extended its lead to twelve in the fourth inning after runs scored by Horst, Taylor Chaney, and Pittman. Ethan Thompson, game one’s closer, started game two and went the distance surrendering only three hits, no runs, and striking out five batters. Huggins and Pittman led the way offensively for the Jackets bringing home three runs and two runs, respectively.
With two outs in the final frame, Hayden Brown made a spectacular diving catch in left field to end the game and season sending the Jackets into celebration with confetti and fireworks filling the night sky. The Jackets finished the season with an impressive record of 20 wins and 5 losses. This is the second region championship in five years for the Yellow Jackets.