By CINDY CROSBY
Cindyc4@yahoo.com
The Colleton Prep varsity baseball team earned a Region IV-AA win over John Paul II (9-5) and a non-conference win over Andrew Jackson (6-5) last week. The Hawks suffered a 14-10 loss to Orangeburg Prep early in the week. Currently, the War Hawks are 7-6 overall and 5-1 in conference play.
In the at-home loss to Orangeburg Prep on Monday, March 22nd, Carter Smoak earned the start on the hill and allowed three earned runs on three hits, striking out six and issuing three walks across two and one-third innings of work. Fellow Warhawk Pete Peters worked four and two-thirds innings in relief, allowing two earned runs on four hits, striking out three and issuing two walks.
The War Hawks recorded 16 hits in the contest. Carter Smoak led at the plate, going 4-5 with 2-RBI’s. Colton Daniels was 3-5 with 3-RBI’s and scored twice. Kyle Hooker was 3-4 with an RBI and scored twice. Pete Peters was 2-4 and scored twice. Cole Gullotti, Drew Murdaugh, Jeb Bootle and Huiet Rowe each recorded a hit. The Warhawks tore up the base paths, as three players stole at least two bases with Huiet Rowe leading the way with two.
“Errors hurt us tonight,” said CPA Head Baseball Coach Miller. “The bats came out and did the job, but we just could not get that clutch hit late in the game.”
In play against John Paul II on Wednesday, March 24, Warhawk Kyle Hooker was credited with the victory across five innings, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out 10.
Cole Gullotti threw two innings in relief, allowing one earned run on no hits, striking out four and issuing two walks.
Colleton Prep opened with a score in the first inning when Colton Daniels doubled on a 2-2 count, scoring one run. The Warhawks tallied four runs in the fourth inning. Gullotti was 2-4 with an RBI and scored twice in the game. Daniels, Murdaugh, Smoak and Rowe each recorded hits.
“We took care of business getting a big region win tonight,” said Miller. “It was not pretty, but it was a quality win over a quality opponent.”
The War Hawks earned the 6-5 win over Andrew Jackson on Friday, March 26 in dramatic fashion.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Gullotti doubled on a 1-0 count to score Daniels and seal the win for Colleton Prep. Daniels earned the win on the mound, allowing three earned runs on seven hits, striking out eight and issuing three walks. Smoak and Gullotti provided relief.
Hooker was 2-3 at the plate with an RBI and Hayden Williams was also 2-3. Rowe, Daniels, Gulotti, and Smoak each recorded a hit in the contest. Daniels recorded three stolen bases in the game.
“This was a great team win,” said Miller. “Everyone contributed in the win over an opponent that walked off on us at the beginning of the year. This is the type of win that can propel us moving into a big week coming up,” he said.
Junior Varsity Notes
The JV Hawks defeated Orangeburg Prep 8-7. Owen Harrelson and Will Cain both towed the rubber for the CPA. Cole Davis led the Warhawks with two hits.
The JV Warhawks fell to John Paul II 6-3. Wylan Sheffield and Britton Phillips had time on the mound for the Warhawks. Owen Harrelson, Britton Phillips and Wylan Sheffield all had multiple hits in the game. Colleton Prep had their chances but left nine runners on base during the contest.
The junior varsity team lost 10-4 to Andrew Jackson on Friday evening. Braeden Hiers and Will Cain saw time on the mound. Owen Harrelson and Hiers each had a hit for CPA during the game.
The loss drops the JV team to 5-5 on the season.
Colleton Prep was scheduled to travel to Beaufort Academy on Monday, March 29 for a region game. The War Hawks will host Dorchester Academy on Wednesday, March 31 before traveling to Thomas Heyward Thursday evening. Those games occurred after this newspaper’s print deadline for this issue.
