Baseball: Red Elephants rout Heritage, Conyers in five innings

GAINESVILLE -- Gainesville baseball coach Jeremy Kemp had his Red Elephants performing like a finely-tuned machine Saturday afternoon at Ivey-Watson Field against Heritage, Conyers.

Heritage committed four errors in the game and Gainesville took complete advantage.

As a result, the Red Elephants came away with an 11-1 rout in five innings of the Patriots in a key Region 8-AAAAA victory.

"The team played in control today, really efficient, taking advantage of a number of errors," Kemp said.

Michael Gettys, pitching for the first time in two weeks, fanned nine in five innings of work. Gettys carried a no-hitter shutout into the fifth before surrendering two hits and one run in the final inning.

Michael Curry (3-for-3, one RBI) would spark the Red Elephants in the first inning with an RBI double down the third baseline, scoring Luke Maddox, who scored three runs on the day, from second. Curry would give way to pinch runner Chandler Newton, who stole third and scored on a wild throw.

The Red Elephants exploded in the second inning. They batted around taking advantage of two big Heritage errors. Fedrick Cardona doubled in Anthony Carrera, who walk to start the inning. Curry would cap the inning with a two-run single.

The scoring frenzy would continue in the third, as the Red Elephants would tally two more runs. Drew Wright singled to lead off the inning and later scored on a Maddox RBI groundout. Gettys was hit by a pitch and scored on a Curry single.

Gainesville sealed the win with two runs in the fifth. Sims Griffith doubled to center, and Gettys drove in courtesy-runner Newton on a single. Fittingly, the game-cleanching run scored on a Patriots error.

"We just need to remain focused and polish the little things moving forward," Kemp said.

With the win Gainesville (17-5, 11-2 Region 8-AAAAA) stayed a game ahead of Heritage (17-7, 11-4) in second place in the region standings. The Patriots play their final regular season game on Monday against Gainesville at home.

The Red Elephants will wrap up their regular season next Friday following a two-game series against Cedar Shoals.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/4/273994