GAINESVILLE -- Despite a perfect 4-0 start to the season after Monday's 13-3 drubbing of Archer, Gainesville baseball coach Jeremy Kemp said there is still much room for improvement.
"We could use a little more production from the bottom of the order and our defense, which has been pretty good, wasn't that great tonight," he said. "But it's still early. As long as we're ready when the region starts."
The Red Elephants have 11 days to find the answers before opening up their Region 8-AAAAA schedule at home against Winder-Barrow March 15.
What they do know is that they can still rake at the plate, pounding out 12 hits, but just three extra base hits in a cold atmosphere. However, two of the doubles probably would have left the park in warmer conditions.
The top of the Gainesville order was devastating against five Archer pitchers with the top six batters going 12-for-19 with nine RBI and scoring 12 runs.
Skyler Weber and Hunter Anglin had three hits each and Sims Griffith and Brandon Sewell had two hits apiece for the Elephants. Michael Gettys and Caleb Whitenton had one hit each.
"I don't know if we'll be a pure power-hitting team but these guys can do it all at the plate," Kemp said.
They also know that Chandler Newton, who picked up his second win of the season scattering nine hits and allowing just one earned run, will give the Red Elephants a chance to win every time out.
"I thought he battled all night," Kemp said. "That's was probably his worst outing but we didn't help him much, and it's tough pitching when its this cold."
Newton struck out four and walked just one in four innings of work.
Anglin, who has been limited early in the season, pitched one inning and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth without allowing a run.
"We're taking it a little slow with Hunter but I think he's going to be ready for region," Kemp said. "He did a good job of getting out of that inning
Gainesville wasted little time in jumping on the Tigers in the first inning. Weber drilled a one-out single to center, moved to second on a passed ball, stole third, and then scored on a single by Gettys. Gettys would steal second and then score after a pair of wild pitches for a 2-0 lead.
Archer answered in the top of the second. Curtis Terry hammered the first pitch he saw from Newton for a long one-out home run to left to cut the lead to 2-1. Archer had a chance to add on in the inning with runners at first and third with two outs, but Weber picked off the runner at third to end the threat.
The Tigers threatened again in the third getting two runners on with one out. But Newton fanned two consecutive batters to get out of the inning. Archer stranded four runners through the first three innings, three in scoring position.
The Red Elephants took advantage in the bottom of the third. Griffith singled to lead off and would score on a single by Weber. Gettys would walk and both would score on a double to center by Anglin to push the lead to 5-1.
Archer would trim the lead to 5-3 in the fourth getting a pair of unearned runs with two outs. Dillon Drexler doubled and then scored on two Gainesville errors on a hit by Daniel Wenum, who would score on a single by Jordan Waites.
Gainesville blew the game open with four runs in the bottom of the fourth on just one hit. The Red Elephants took advantage of five walks, four wild pitches, and two errors, highlighted by a RBI double from Sewell for a 9-3.
The Tigers tried to answer in the fifth loading the bases with one out against Anglin, but Anglin struck out Dustin Ross and Drexler to end the inning without allowing a run.
The Red Elephants invoked the Mercy Rule with four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Griffith drove in Feddrick Cardona, who walked three times on the night, on a double to left and scored on an error on a ground ball from Gettys after an infield hit by Weber. Weber would score on a bases loaded walk to Whitenton and Sewell would end it with a single to left scoring Gettys.
It was the second 10-run win over Archer (2-4) in a week for Gainesville. The Red Elephants next will travel to Mountain View on Wednesday.
Friday
February 7th, 2025
4:20AM
