Tuesday March 19th, 2024 3:21AM

Baseball: GHS falls to Greenbrier in Game 3 (VIDEO)

By Jeff Hart Sports Reporter

EVANS — In the end, it wasn’t worth the wait.

The Gainesville baseball team’s improbable run to the Class AAAAA state championship series ended in gut-wrenching fashion Wednesday at Greenbrier High School.

The Red Elephants led early but several late mistakes opened the door for a Greenbrier rally in the final two innings and the Wolfpack held on in the seventh inning for a 5-2 victory in the deciding Game 3 of their best-of-three series.

It was a long two days as both teams had to endure a nearly three-hour delay on Tuesday before the game was postponed and then had to play through scorching heat on Wednesday.

“It’s tough having to wait like that when the kids are ready to play,” Gainesville coach Jeremy Kemp said. “But this team has fought all year and they did that today. I’m proud of this group, especially the seven seniors. They helped reestablish the foundation of Gainesville baseball.”

Senior Michael Curry took the hill for the Red Elephants in what some thought was a surprise choice by Kemp considering the extra day of rest. Local fans wondered if Game 1 winner Jonathan Gettys would get the call with the extra day.

“I actually got the call (on Tuesday) and I was excited about the chance,” Curry said. “It was tough having to wait the extra day. But I told coach I wanted the ball.”

Curry, a Georgia-signee at catcher, did his part going four innings allowing just one unearned run. He left to start the fifth with the Red Elephants tied 1-1. Gettys took over from there.

“He’s a ballplayer,” Kemp said of Curry. “He could play anywhere on the field and have success. I’m going to miss him for sure. But he’ll only be 40 minutes down the road so I can go see him anytime I want.”

It wasn’t the exact start Curry wanted as his first pitch of the game was ripped to center by Jon Dennanny. But the right-hander was able to work out of the jam gunning down Dennanny at third on a ground ball. He got fellow Georgia-signee Adam Sasser to ground to first to end the inning with no runs scored.

In the bottom of the second, Gettys walked to lead off but was picked off first. Brandon Sewell followed four pitches later with a home run for a 1-0 lead for the Red Elephants.

“Brandon has always been a big-game player and that was a big hit for us,” Kemp said.

Curry began to settle down retiring five straight into the fourth inning, including two strikeouts.

Cardona walked to lead off the third inning but Mikey Gonzalez ripped a chopper to second that the Wolfpack turned into a double play to kill the rally.

Curry ran into trouble to start the fourth walking Ty Snipes and Sasser with no outs. After a fielder’s choice at third, a Gainesville error loaded the bases with one out. Davis Murray followed with a sacrifice fly scoring Sasser to tie the game 1-1.

After the home run to Sewell, Snipes settled into a groove. He retired seven of the next eight going into the fifth inning with the only base runner -- a walk to Cardona -- erased on a double play.

Gainesville (29-8) had a golden chance to take the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Sewell walked to lead off and Banks Griffith followed with a bunt single and then Drew Wright struck out on a third strike bunt attempt. The Wolfpack brought in Game 2 winner Sasser, who got Cardona to ground into a double play to end the inning.

Gettys then came on in the top of the fifth for the Red Elephants. He retired the first three batters he faced, including two strikeouts. But he ran into trouble in the sixth.

Greenbrier (30-4) took advantage off a couple of Gainesville mistakes. Snipes reached on an error and moved to second on a wild pitch. After a Sasser ground out moved Snipes to third, Nick Sandlin doubled over the head of Carrera in center scoring Snipes for a 2-1 lead.

The Wolfpack put things out of reach with three huge insurance runs in the top of the seventh with two out. Snipes had a two-out, RBI single scoring Justen Hartfield, who walked, for a 3-1 lead. Gettys then uncorked a pair of wild pitches, the second of which allowed two runs to score on the play for a 5-1 lead.

Gainesville did not go quietly in the seventh. The Red Elephants loaded the bases with one out with Wright coming to the plate as the potential tying run. Wright, however, popped out to the catcher but Cardona kept things alive with an RBI single scoring Carrera to cut it to 5-2. Unfortunately, it ended when Gonzalez hit into a fielder’s choice at third.

Despite the tough series loss, Curry said the group of seniors accomplished part of their goals.

“We didn’t quite finish the drill (on winning the championship),” he said. “We didn’t hit the ball like we’re capable. But this was a special year for us.

"Gainesville hadn’t gotten this far in a while and I don’t think anyone will forget this team for a while. We handled a lot of adversity this year. Putting us back on the map was one of our goals.”

NOTES: The series loss snapped an amazing stat for the Gainesville baseball program. The Red Elephants had been 7-0 all-time in the championship round going all the way back to their 1948 championship until Wednesday's loss. ... It was Greenbrier’s first championship since winning back-to-back titles in 2006-07. ... The Red Elephants were looking for their first title since winning back-to-back Class AAA titles in 2001-02.

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