Maybe not so much anymore after a dominating performance Wednesday against Heritage, Conyers.
Whitenton went the distance fanning five and allowing just one single in leading the Red Elephants to a 10-0, five inning win over the Patriots in Region 8-AAAAA action at Ivey-Watson Field.
The emergence of his curveball was the difference. The Clemson-signee also contributed at the plate with a home run and the game-clinching RBI in the bottom of the fifth scoring Fedrick Cardona.
"This was the first time all year I've been able to throw my curve for strikes," Whitenton said. "I've been working with Coach (Adam) Miller and it's been getting better each time out. This was the best I've felt all season. I just wanted to give my team a chance to win."
Gainesville coach Jeremy Kemp said despite a pair of consecutive blowout wins over Heritage (5-3, 0-2 Region 8-AAAAA) his team is beginning to show the kind of potential they were looking for coming out of winter practice.
"That's a pretty good team right there," Kemp said of Heritage. "They made some mistakes and we hit the ball pretty good and we took advantage of those mistakes. That always helps.
"But if we can get games on the mound like that from the other guys (besides Jonathan Gettys) we have a chance to be real good. Caleb was outstanding tonight."
The Red Elephants (7-1, 2-0) pounded out 11 hits for the game against two Heritage pitchers. Every starter in the lineup scored at least one run and all but two had at least one hit.
Banks Griffith in the No. 8 spot had three hits, two RBI and scored a run. Whitenton had two hits, including a home run, and two RBI, and Anthony Carrera also had two hits, a home run, and one RBI for Gainesville.
Michael Curry homered just ahead of Whitenton and Cardona and Drew Wright each had one hit for the Red Elephants.
"I thought we showed good balance in the lineup and that will be a key for us," Kemp said.
Gainesville wasted an early opportunity and Whitenton started strong retiring the first six Heritage batters through the second inning. That's when the Gainesville bats exploded.
The Red Elephants unloaded on Heritage starter Matt Studdard in the second. Gettys led off with his third home run of the season to right field and Brandon Sewell followed with a deep drive to center that was dropped by the Patriots centerfielder. Carerra stroked a double to right and Griffith knocked both in with a single up the middle for a 3-0 lead. Mikey Gonzalez reached on an error and stole second and Cardona drove in Griffith with a sacrifice fly moving Gonzalez to third. Wright followed with a two-run single and he later scored on the third Patriots error of the inning to cap a six-run inning for the Red Elephants.
It stayed that way until the fourth inning when the Red Elephants teed off on Patriots' reliever Nick Evans. Curry and Whitenton led off with back-to-back home runs and Carrera added a two-out home run for a 9-0 lead.
Gainesville sealed the win in the bottom of the fifth inning. Collier Scott walked to start things, went to second on a single by Cardona, to third on a fielder's choice, and scored on Whitenton's RBI single to left to invoke the 10-run Mercy Rule.
Studdard, the Patriots ace, lasted just two innings surrendering four hits and walking one but only one of the six runs charged to him were earned. Evans went 2 2/3 innings yielding seven hits and walking two and giving up the final four runs.
Gainesville next will travel to Clarke Central on Friday in another Region 8-AAAAA contest.
Heritage will play host to Cedar Shoals on Friday in Region 8-AAAAA action.
Gainesville's Fedrick Cardona fires a relay to first base. / photo: David Weikel
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