Habersham Central High School’s varsity baseball team put together a hitting clinic on Monday and put away Shiloh High School, 16-1, in three-inning, run-rule fashion.
The Generals (5-16, 1-12 Region 8-AAAAAA) put the first run of the game on the board in the top of the first inning, but the Raiders (16-7, 8-6) would get that back and then some in the bottom of the frame.
Junior Charlie Mills drove in the first run of the bottom half of the first inning, reaching safely on a ground ball to the shortstop to score sophomore Maverick Chitwood.
Junior Spencer Frady was hit by a pitch to load the bases before junior Callum Spivey was walked, plating a second run.
Senior Kaleb Chastain delivered a two-run single past the first baseman to score Mills and junior Dalan James, who was pinch-running for Frady. Spivey moved to third on the play.
Spivey would score during the next at-bat as Chastain stole second base. Spivey, reading the throw to second, took off to the plate before the return throw made it back to the catcher.
Sophomore Hudson Gailey delivered an infield single to the second baseman to put runners on the corners before fellow sophomore Kreed Barrett scored Chastain and Gailey with a single of his own.
Chitwood then delivered a triple to left field to score Barrett before senior Hayden Gailey hit a long fly ball to center field, scoring sophomore Gage Teague, who was running for Chitwood.
All said and done, the Raiders scored nine runs in their opening frame at the plate.
The second inning was scoreless for both teams and HCHS held Shiloh scoreless in the top half of the third.
The bottom half of the third was another offensive explosion for the home team.
After a leadoff walk to Barrett and a single to right field for Chitwood, Hayden Gailey also walked to load the bases. Then, senior Konner Burrell got all three runs across the plate with a three-RBI double off the left field wall.
Mills traded places with Burrell, hitting an RBI double. Frady was, again, hit by a pitch. James once again came on to run for him.
Spivey hit a bouncing ball toward third base, which made for a tough play and resulted in loaded bases as he was safe at first.
After an infield fly, senior Kade Nicholson pinch hit for Hudson Gailey and delivered a long double off the fence in left field to score James and Mills.
With one out and a 15-1 lead, Barrett stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI double over the centerfielder’s head to plate Spivey and finalize a walk-off victory.
The win comes after a pair of one-run losses to Apalachee and a 10-0 run-rule loss to Gainesville on the road Friday.
It was much needed for the team as they continue to march toward the state playoffs.
“Proud of our guys for coming out and being very aggressive,” HCHS Head Coach Chris Akridge said. “Mav (Chitwood) threw a lot of strikes and the defense played well.”
Chitwood only gave up one hit and one run in the game, both of which came in the first inning. In the second and third innings, the sophomore saw the minimum three batters per frame.
Despite the pitching for Shiloh not being the same level of velocity the Raiders have seen the past few weeks, they were able to adjust at the plate and deliver the big numbers on the scoreboard.
“Really proud of our approach at the plate. We’ve seen a lot of velocity the last couple of weeks. Today, we didn’t see that,” Akridge said. “Our hitters showed a lot of discipline with their approach.”
Winning in three innings and not having a normal mid-week Wednesday game gives the players, especially pitchers, a needed rest as the team continues to fight for a playoff spot.
Now, heading into Friday’s matchup against Jackson County, each of the pitchers will be available to pitch should they be called on.
The Raiders and Panthers split their two-game, home-and-home series earlier in the regular season and will battle for a tie-breaker win at Raider Park.
“Friday against Jackson is a huge game,” Akridge said. “By my calculations, Friday is not do-or-die, but it’s certainly a huge game depending on what happens tonight around the region. We’re excited about, Lord willing, being able to get three good days of practice between now and then. Then, excited to be able to play that game in front of a home crowd.”
Akridge said he doesn’t expect the 16-1 result against Shiloh to lead to any overconfidence in his team as they turn their focus to Jackson County.
“I think our guys are mature enough to handle a big win like that,” he said. “They understand it’s baseball and you can go out one day and put up 16 runs after you got shut out three days ago (against Gainesville). It’s baseball, they understand that.”
Nicholson is the projected starting pitcher for Friday. That game is set for a 5:55 p.m. first pitch.
