By CINDY CROSBY
The Salkehatchie Indians baseball team struggled to put runs on the board last week, dropping two double-headers and a nine-inning game. Salkehatchie is currently 1-15 overall.
In a double-header played at home against South Georgia State College on Tuesday, February 15th, the Indians fell 11-1 and 7-2. In game one, USC Salkehatchie struggled to put runs on the board and had a tough time defensively containing South Georgia State College, giving up 11 runs.
Jack Hedges earned the start for the Indians, allowing six hits and six runs over three and a third innings, striking out one. Drew Thomas, Solomon Stullenbarger, and Reese Benson each contributed in relief for Salkehatchie. Eric Green and Camron Gardner each managed one hit for the Indians, including a homerun by Gardner in the sixth inning.
In game two, Michael Love was on the pitcher’s mound for the Indians and allowed six hits and five runs over three innings, striking out one and walking one. Kenny Miller and Nolan McGonigle entered the game from the bullpen, throwing three innings and one inning, respectively.
Jason Wilson led the offense going 2-2 with an RBI and a walk.
The Indians traveled to Emerson, Georgia on Friday, February 18, for a three-game series versus Georgia Highlands College. Salkehatchie dropped all three games of the series, going 12-2 in a nine-inning game played Friday and falling 15-3 and 12-1 in a double-header Saturday.
In Friday’s nine-inning game, the Indians struggled to contain the high-powered offense of Georgia Highlands, giving up 12 runs. Heston Thompson was on the mound for Salkehatchie and lasted four innings, allowing nine hits and five runs while striking out one. Kenny Miller threw two innings in relief. Will McGuire went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Indians. Luis Quiñones, Gabe White, Evan Grant, and Rushton Bowles each had a hit for Salk.
Ganon Honea earned the start in game one of Saturday’s double-header and allowed eight hits and ten runs over three and two-thirds innings, striking out three. Mack Ritter threw one inning out of the bullpen. Rashard Brown went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead USC Salkehatchie and Gabe White tallied a home run in the first inning.
In game two, Juan Rodriguez started the game for the Indians, surrendering nine runs on eight hits over two and two-thirds innings, striking out three. Drew Thomas and Solomon Stullenbarger entered the game as relief, throwing two-thirds of an inning and two-thirds of an inning, respectively. Will McGuire went 1-1 at the plate with a homerun in the second inning.
“We have played some very tough teams by design,” said Coach Jeremy Joye. “My goal is for us to be as prepared as possible for region play, which begins next month. The goal of facing such fierce competition early in the season is to prepare us for the tough competitors we will face in Region 10. We will get a taste of region play this coming weekend as we travel to Spartanburg Methodist for a round robin series with SMC and Southern Union State Community College out of Wadley, AL. Although Southern Union is not a region competitor, they will be a strong opponent. Looking at our stat sheet, we have been on the losing end of the 10-run rule in almost every match-up. I have charged the guys with the simple task right now of forcing our opponent to play an entire game to put us away. I believe in starting small and moving slow. This will force us to put a stop to the big inning instead of hanging our head and letting the game get further out of reach. We still have much growing to do and our mental toughness as a group is not where I feel it should be. This is a weekly battle, but it is a battle being fought. As long as I am surrounded by a group of young men who are prepared to do battle, it matters not to me what trenches we may find ourselves in.”
Salkehatchie is slated to travel to Spartanburg in the upcoming weekend for a round robin series including Southern Union State (Wadley, Alabama) and Spartanburg Methodist College.
