The Falcons came into the series heavily favored over Salem and having beaten the Seminoles 8-6 in their only meeting during the regular season. But the Seminoles shocked Flowery Branch 8-7 in 12 innings to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
The series will resume Thursday at the Hog Mountain Sports Complex with a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. The Falcons will have to sweep both games to advance to the state playoffs.
"We have our work cut out for us now," Flowery Branch coach Scott Myers said. "You have to find a way to win games like that. We just couldn't get the big hit. Frustrating."
The game was a scoreless tie until Salem (8-16) scored two unearned runs, one on a squeeze play with one out and then a RBI single with two outs, for a 2-0 lead. The Falcons (18-6) finally got to Salem starter Adam Hood in the bottom of the fifth inning when C.J. Navin tripled and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Keltin DeVoe to cut the lead to 2-1. They then tied the game in the sixth on a solo home run by Breck Davidson.
It stayed that way until the eighth when the Seminoles roughed up reliever Chandler Newton for five runs, only two earned, in a five-run inning. The eighth inning started with a walk, an error, and an infield hit to load the bases with no one out. Back-to-back RBI singles gave Salem a 4-2 lead and then a hit batter and two consecutive walks with the bases loaded pushed the lead to 7-2.
But the Falcons bats finally woke up and rallied for five runs in the bottom of the eighth on five hits, highlighted by a two-run triple from Chase Hulsey and then a game-tying single by DeVoe. Logan Conley also had an RBI double in the inning. But, the Falcons left the winning run at second base.
"I thought we were ready to break the game open but after that we just couldn't get anything going," Myers said.
The five runs were scored against Eric Bechet, who, other than the eighth inning, allowed just one other hit while pitching a season-high six innings to get the win. The Salem outfield also played a huge role in the win tracking down nearly a dozen liners, bloops, and long drives to turn them into key outs.
"We hit too many balls in the air and they have a lot of speed to get to those balls. If we do that (Thursday) it's going to be hard to win both games," Myers said. "We need to hit it on the ground."
Andrew Laur did his part to give the Falcons a chance to rally for the win pitching four innings in relief yielding just one run on three hits while fanning five.
"Andrew pitched great. Unfortunately we may not be able to use him again," Myers said.
Conley, Davidson, Hulsey, and Navin each had two hits for Flowery Branch. Dylan Gibeau and Laur also had one hit for Flowery Branch.
The Seminoles did most of their damage from the middle of the lineup. The Nos. 3-6 hitters were a combined 10-for-23 with two RBI and five runs scored. Bechet and Chase Duncan had three hits apiece for Salem. Zach Bailey and Jake Rich had two hits each and Cole Gibson had a hit, two RBI and scored one run from the lead-off spot.
Flowery Branch's Breck Davidson zeroes in on a high-bouncing ground ball on Wednesday at Flowery Branch. Davidson also hit a home run for the Falcons in their 8-7, 12-inning loss to Salem.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2012/4/247978