The Red Elephants got another stellar pitching performance from Michael Gettys and enough offense against Winder-Barrow ace Travis Demeritte to beat the Bulldoggs 7-0 in both teams' region openers.
Gettys (4-0) threw just 78 pitchers and scattered three hits, walked none, and fanned nine in his first complete-game effort of the season, including retiring 13 in a row while Gainesville built its lead. At the plate Gettys had a hit, scored three runs, and stole four bases.
It was the sixth shutout of the season for the Red Elephants (9-0, 1-0 Region 8-AAAAA) who have allowed just seven total runs in nine games. Winder-Barrow (5-2, 0-1) had not allowed more three runs in any one game and had not been shut out until Friday.
"Demeritte is the real deal and I thought we did a good job of waiting for him to throw some fastballs we could drive," Gainesville coach Jeremy Kemp said. "Michael was outstanding again. Coach (Adam) Miller has done a great job of working with the pitchers and getting them prepared."
The Red Elephants offense was patient against Demeritte (1-1) forcing him to throw 75 pitches before being replaced after four innings. He gave up five hits, walked two, hit one batter, and struck out seven.
Blane Oviedo did not fare much better against the Gainesville offense yielding three hits and three walks and allowing three runs in just two innings.
The Bulldoggs will get a quick chance for redemption when the two teams play at Winder-Barrow on Monday in the second game of the home-and-home series.
"I'm sure they'll be ready for us on Monday," Kemp said. "We'll have to play another good game to get a win."
The Red Elephants got the early run they wanted when Skyler Weber hammered the first pitch he saw from Demeritte for a one-out home run to right field for a 1-0 lead just two batters into the game. Luke Moore would make it 2-0 with a ground out to second scoring Michael Gettys, who singled following Weber's home run.
It stayed that way until the Elephants pushed across two unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth. The first three batters reached for Gainesville with Hunter Anglin scoring on an error and then Moore scored on a two-out single from Jonathan Gettys for a 4-0 lead.
Gainesville put the game away with two more unearned runs in the fifth. Michael Gettys reached on an error and then scored on a single by Moore. Anglin would score his second run of the game on a throwing error by the Winder catcher trying to catch Moore stretching his hit into a double.
Gainesville scored its final run in the sixth on a RBI hit from Moore scoring Michael Gettys again.
Moore finished with two hits and three RBI to lead the Gainesville attack. Weber finished with two hits, one RBI, and scored a run for the Red Elephants.
Demeritte had a triple in the first inning for Winder but was stranded at third. Dalton Carter had a single in the sixth and Jake Frady had a single in the seventh for the Bulldoggs.
Michael Gettys takes a pitch in a game played ealier this season.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/3/259387