GAINESVILLE — This time last year, Winder-Barrow and Gainesville opened their Region 8-6A schedules against each other with the Bulldoggs ranked No. 1 in Class 6A and a young, inexperienced Gainesville team looking to make a statement.
The Bulldoggs left with a three-game sweep of the Red Elephants, who ended up finishing second in the region before falling in the first round of the state playoffs.
The two foes meet again for the first time since then on Tuesday at Ivey-Watson to open the 8-6A schedule once again, only this time the roles are reversed.
A senior-laden Gainesville (9-4, 0-0 Region 8-6A) enters on the strength of a six-game win streak, looking to show last year’s finish was an aberration. Gainesville was coming off three straight semifinals appearances, including finishing as Class 5A state runner-up in 2015. The first round exit was the first for a Jeremy Kemp-led squad in now his 10th season at the helm of the Red Elephants, and a first for any Gainesville team since 2008.
Winder-Barrow (7-6, 0-0 Region 8-6A) graduated several key pieces from its 2017 team and now has the young squad hoping to make a statement of its own.
There is no talk of revenge for the Red Elephants, however, only focus on the beginning of a 15-game gauntlet for the region title.
“This is a tough region and we have 15 games ahead of us that are all going to be tough,” Kemp said. “We’re just focused on (Tuesday’s) game. We’ll see where we are after (Tuesday) and then get ready for Wednesday and Friday.”
Gainesville's current streak sees it averaging nearly two runs better (7.3 runs per game) than its season average of 5.6 runs a game. On the mound the Red Elephants are surrendering a full run less (3.1 runs allowed) during the streak than the season average of 4.3 runs a game.
Senior left fielder Charlie Wall is hitting a sizzling .667 over the past six games and leads the team with a .405 average and 12 RBI. Senior Cale Conley, junior Dalton Kyle, and sophomore Jackson Kemp also have anchored the lineup in the middle of the order.
Senior Collier Scott (4-0), junior Kyle York (two wins), and senior Banks Griffith (2-0, 3 saves) have solidified a deep staff on the mound.
“The guys have made a lot of progress so far, and right now they are playing very well,” Kemp said. “There are still a lot of areas we can get better in, but they’re focused and working hard and that’s all you can ask.”
Winder has won five of its last seven, including going 2-2 in the recent Perfect Game Invitational against some of the top teams in the nation. Brady House, Hunter Marsh, Jackson Shook, and Austin Lockridge lead the Bulldoggs on the mound. Marsh, Jackson Melton, Sam Darling, and Lance Sikes provide a formidable quartet in the middle of the order.
Kemp said his squad has not forgotten last year’s sweep at the hands of the Bulldoggs, which featured a pair of 1-run losses, including a 9-inning slugfest against the two teams’ top pitchers.
“The kids probably do have a little something to prove but that started way before this series,” he said. “This series may be driving them a little bit but it won’t mean much if they don’t focus on just the first game and nothing else.
“In a series like this, you never know what can happen. The wildest game last year was the one most of us thought would be 1-0 or 2-1 something like that but neither guy could stop the other offense. All three games could be nail-biters or high scoring. The teams are that close.”
The first and third games will be at Ivey-Watson on Tuesday and Friday. The second game will be on Wednesday in Winder. All three will have a 5:55 p.m. first pitch, weather permitting.
