- Buchholz baseball team won 3-2 over Gainesville at Tiny Talbot Field, extending their winning streak against them to 13 games.
- The game was called in the top of the seventh inning due to lightning in the area, preventing a final at-bat for Gainesville's top order.
- Gainesville's Cade Dixon pitched six strong innings with eight strikeouts but was hurt by two errors in the fifth inning.
- Buchholz's Sterling Tetreault earned the win with five strikeouts in his first career start and helped score key runs in the fifth inning.
The Gainesville baseball team entered Thursday night’s home game at Tiny Talbot Field looking to snap a 12-game losing streak to rival Buchholz.
They nearly did, but the visiting Bobcats held on for a 3-2 win in a game that was called due to weather in the top of the seventh inning.
“Hats off to the Gainesville administration,” said Buchholz coach Chris Malphurs. “They let it go as long as they could to try to get us to a to an official game, so I appreciated that. You know, we were fortunate, picked up those three runs in the fifth, and we were able to bring in AK (Aidan Kastensmidt) to get the save, so we feel fortunate.”
GHS (5-5) stranded the tying run at third base in the bottom of the sixth inning and was scheduled to have the top of the order (9, 1 and 2) coming up in the bottom of the seventh inning.
However, there was lightning in the area and ultimately the game was called, giving the Bobcats their 13th straight victory in the series.
“We definitely wanted to make a statement after our last game (11-1 loss at home to Fort White on Tuesday) and I think we did that,” said GHS coach Adrian Ramos. “It’s definitely unfortunate we didn’t get to finish putting a bow, hopefully, on what was supposed to be our moment to win there.”
The game was scoreless for the first three innings as Gainesville’s senior pitcher Cade Dixon retired eight of his first nine batters he faced.
“He’s been consistent,” Ramos said. “Any time he’s up there and he’s dialed in, he’s going to be tough to beat and it’s always going to give us a chance to be in a ball game.”
Buchholz junior Sterling Tetreault allowed just two hits, including an infield hit, through his first three innings of work.
Gainesville took the first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Junior catcher Jacob Ostreicher walked with one out and courtesy runner Juan Roman stole second.
After a single to center field by junior Yunel Rojas put runners on the corners, pinch hitter Connor Kemph singled to right to score Ramon for a 1-0 lead.
Buchholz answered in the top of the fifth inning.
The Bobcats (5-4) sent eight batters to the plate and scored three runs.
Northwest Florida State College signee Drew Almond led off with a walk and scored when senior Angel Irizarry bunted two batters later and Dixon’s throw went over his first baseman’s head.
It was one of two errors in the inning by the Hurricanes.
“The errors, especially in tight games like this, are what’s going to cost you, and I think we had a couple unearned runs there at that point, which basically is what’s showing on the board right now,” Ramos said. “So tough plays, and those are the things that you’ve got to execute in order to win games like this.”
That sent Tetreault, the No. 8 hitter, to the plate. He singled to center field, scoring Irizarry, and then No. 9 hitter Zac Brown singled to left field, which scored courtesy runner Ashton Norris, to make it 3-1.
“This is Zac’s second game back and this is the first game that Sterling has hit in,” Malphurs said. “He pinch hit for us at Forest (Ocala) and had a hit, but it’s his first offensive start as well. So those guys, and that whole inning, credit to our guys. They did it all with two strikes.”
GHS scored in their half of the fifth to get within a run.
Senior Kaiden Griffith led off with a walk, chasing Tetreault and bringing in Kastensmidt.
The Jacksonville University signee stuck out the first two batters, but sophomore Ty Quinn hit a ground ball to second base and reached base safely.
With no one covering first base, Buchholz second baseman Blake Brewer decided to throw home, but catcher Tyler Thurmond missed the tag at the plate by inches, allowing Griffith to score to make it 3-2.
Dixon struck out two in the top of the sixth and finished with eight strikeouts in six innings pitched.
“I thought GHS played really well,” Malphurs said. “Dixon kept them in the game. That’s the best I’ve seen him throw.”
Tetreault picked up the win. He threw four-plus innings and allowed just two runs on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
“That was the first start of his career, threw really well and kept those guys off balance,” Malphurs said. “He had five punch-outs. He did a great job.”
Buchholz will host Class 3A regional finalist Suwannee (Live Oak) at 7 p.m. on Friday.
The game will be broadcast on Mainstreet (audio only) beginning at 6:45 p.m. with Marty Pallman (Play-by-play) and former Buchholz baseball coach Ron Brooks (Color) calling the action.
GHS will travel to Bradford (Starke) at 7 p.m. on Friday.
