FLOWERY BRANCH — Just nine games into the season, the Flowery Branch baseball team was in dire need of a win Friday night.
The Falcons already had lost their first two Region 8-AAAAA contests to Gainesville and a loss to a much-improved Clarke Central team at the Hog Mountain Sports Complex would have practically put them behind the eight-ball.
For Zack Wagner, however, it was just another day. The freshman right-hander tossed a complete-game, two-hit shutout as the Falcons notched a 5-0 win over the Gladiators.
It was the second win in as many starts for Wagner (2-0), who looked more like a seasoned veteran against a good-hitting Clarke Central team.
“He throws strikes and he hits his spots,” said assistant coach Pete Allen, who was filling in for Scott Myers, who is taking some time off to attend a family function. “He really doesn’t throw like a freshman. He did a great job. Hopefully this will get us going.”
Wagner had a slow start allowing four baserunners in the first two innings and wiggled out of a bases loaded jam in the second. After that, he allowed just five baserunners over the final five innings.
“I’m just trying to have fun out there,” Wagner said. “It feels great to be able to contribute to the team.”
After Wagner worked around a walk in the first, the Falcons offense went to work. Anthony Grutendario doubled to start and moved to third when Kholton Hamann reached on an error. Both would score on Dylan Childress’s triple to right center for a 2-0 lead.
The Gladiators loaded the bases against Wagner in the second on a hit, a walk, and an error with just one out. But Wagner struck out Tee White and got Noah Fairbairn to ground into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.
The Falcons added a run in the bottom of the second when Cam Holmes walked and then came around to score on an infield hit by Grutendario and a throwing error on the play for a 3-0 lead.
Wagner closed out the game retiring 17 of the final 22 Clarke Central batters, including a double play to end the sixth, while the offense continued to build the lead.
The Falcons picked up two more runs in the bottom of the fourth on RBI singles by Cory Riley and Hamann for a 5-0 lead.
Allen stopped short of calling it a must-win before the game, but definitely felt like they couldn’t afford to start the Region 8-AAAAA season in an 0-3 hole. Flowery Branch (3-5-1, 1-2 Region 8-AAAAA) came into Friday’s game in 10th place in the 11-team region.
The Falcons travel to Clarke Central on Monday and then follow that with a home-and-home series with powerhouse Loganville next Wednesday and Friday.
“As tough as this region is, you have to win every time you get the opportunity,” Allen said. “We lost a chance for a big win against Gainesville [an 8-4 loss in 10 innings] so this was a win we really needed. I thought the guys really stepped up. It’s still early in the season but we have a very tough stretch at the beginning so we can’t waste any opportunities we have to get a win.”
Clarke Central (6-5, 2-3) lost for the fourth time in its last five road games. But, the Gladiators are a perfect 3-0 at home..
The Falcons had scored just five total runs in their previous five games until Friday night.
