GAINESVILLE — In a must-win game for a possible shot at a region title, it had been a tough Senior Night for Gainesville senior Banks Griffith.
The shortstop and leader had gone hitless in four tries, including a strikeout through the first six innings, and was greeted by Hunter Linhart’s double to open the seventh inning when he took the mound in a 8-8 tie against Apalachee.
However, it all changed over the next 15 minutes. The Red Elephants turned a double play get Griffith out of trouble and then with Kyle York standing at third representing the winning run in the bottom of the seventh, Griffith stroked an infield hit just under the glove of Wildcats’ shortstop DJ Smith driving in York for a 9-8 victory.
“It was a rough start but I just wanted to get us to the bottom of the inning and give us a chance. The defense made a great play,” Griffith said. “At the plate I just tried to stay simple and make contact. It found a hole.”
Despite the thrilling victory, Griffith said they felt they had seen their chance for a region title come and go on Tuesday in a frustrating 3-2 loss to the Wildcats.
Gainesville (20-8, 11-4 Region 8-6A) came into the season finale needing a win and a Winder-Barrow loss to Lanier to capture the title. The Red Elephants did their part but 20 minutes after Griffith’s theatrics the Bulldoggs (18-10, 11-4) held on for a 4-3 win over the Longhorns to take the crown. The news of the Bulldoggs narrow victory came simultaneously as dozens of fans were locked into their cell phones following the Winder-Barrow contest on Game Changer.
“This would have meant even more if we had won that one. It definitely feels like a lost chance for us (to win the region title) but we’re not worried about that anymore,” he said. “This was a great momentum win for us heading into the playoffs and we’re going to try and get ready for that.”
Red Elephants coach Jeremy Kemp said that now that they know where they will be seeded (No. 2 out of Region 8-6A), they can just focus on trying to make a run in the playoffs.
“No matter what happened (today) we still had a home playoff series so we’re excited about that opportunity,” Kemp said. “It’s a new season and anything can happen once the playoffs start.”
Early on it looked like Gainesville would not need to bother following the Winder game. Apalachee got a quick break as Ryan Crocker reached on an error to lead off the game and advanced to second on the miscue. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on a long one-out single to center by Parker Miller for a 1-0 lead in the first.
The Wildcats (15-13, 4-11) opened things up in the second against Hinshaw, who lasted just two innings, banging out five hits in the inning, including RBI hits from Jerry Wallace, AJ Forbring, and Linhart and a steal of home by Crocker to push the lead to 6-0.
“We came out flat and Apalachee jumped on us quick,” Kemp said. “(The Wildcats) are the most improved team anywhere around and they played everyone tough. Hats off to them for the season they had.”
The Red Elephants tried to answer right back in the bottom of the first getting a two-out triple from Jared Smith. But Charlie Wall grounded out to short to end the inning.
Gainesville got another two-out hit in the second from Dalton Kyle, who then stole second. But Clay Coffey popped to short to end the inning.
Adam Benefield came in to pitch for Gainesville to start the third and reestablished some order getting the Wildcats in order with a pair of strikeouts.
The Red Elephants used that momentum to finally breakthrough against Apalachee starter Dawson Matherly. The big right-hander hit Collier Scott with two outs and Smith followed with a single. Wall brought them both home with a two-run double to deep centerfield. Jackson Kemp then legged out an infield hit, Cale Conley walked to load the bases, and Dalton Kyle cleared them with a double to left-center to cut lead to 6-5, which also knocked out Matherly. Kyle, however, was gunned down at home to end the inning after a Coffey single to center.
Apalachee extended the lead in the fourth as Wallace reached on an error and later scored on a sacrifice fly. Crocker singled and scored on a RBI double by Miller for an 8-5 lead.
Gainesville cut into the lead again in the bottom of the fourth as Scott walked with two out and scored on a double by Smith to make it 8-6. But Wall struck out to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Benefield also began to settle down retiring five straight through the sixth inning to give the offense a chance to stage the comeback. The offense took the cue staging another two-out rally as Smith singled, Wall reached on an error, and Kemp singled them in to tie the game at 8-8 in the bottom of the sixth.
Griffith came on in the seventh for Gainesville and got in a quick jam but the defense turned a nifty double play to get out of the inning and give the offense a chance to win it.
They didn’t disappoint.
“This is a very scrappy team and I think we’ll get a few things worked out,” Griffith said. “We do the little things well most of the time so if can focus on what we need to do I feel like we can make a run.”
