By CINDY CROSBY
The Colleton Prep varsity baseball team improved to 5-5 over and 4-1 in Region IV-AA after earning wins over Thomas Heyward Academy (9-4) and Beaufort Academy (14-4) and suffering a loss to Branchville High School (7-6).
In the win over Thomas Heyward, Colleton Prep jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings. The War Hawks would go on to score nine runs on five hits.
Kyle Hooker earned the win for the War Hawks, lasting four and two-thirds innings, allowing one earned run on four hits, striking out 10 and issuing four walks. Carter Smoak came in relief and threw two and one-third innings, striking out six. Colton Daniels was 2-3 with an RBI and scoring three runs.
Peter Peters, Cole Gullotti and Kyle Hooker each collected a hit.
Cole Davis recorded four stolen bases in the game.
“We were led by our pitching staff tonight,” said Coach Collin Miller. “Both Kyle and Carter came out and filled up the strike zone all night and helped to carry us to a win.”
Against Beaufort Academy on Tuesday, March 16, Cole Gullotti started on the hill for Colleton Prep, going two and two-thirds innings allowing two runs and striking out four, giving up 2 runs and striking out 4. Pete Peters earned the win going three and one-third innings in relief, allowing no earned runs on four hits, striking out four and issuing no walks.
With the game tied against Beaufort Academy in the fourth inning 4-4, Colton Daniels stepped up with one man on and launched a first pitch homerun to give the Hawks a 6-4 lead. Gullotti stepped up two batters later to knock in an RBI with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead 7-4. Kyle Hooker homered in the bottom of the sixth to score two runs and force a run-rule decision.
Colleton Prep had 13 hits on the night, including three each from Kyle Hooker (5-RBI’s) and Colton Daniels (2-RBI’s). Murdaugh and Peters also collected multiple hits on the night.
“Tonight, it was the offense that came to life,” said Miller. “The pitching staff threw well tonight, but when you can get 13 hits and have a lot of hard contact it is a good sign that we are moving in the right direction at the plate.”
On the road against Branchville High School on Friday, March 19, the War Hawks trailed by six runs after three innings. A come-back effort would fall just short after CPA scored one run in the fourth, four runs in the fifth and one in the sixth.
The War Hawks committed five errors in the field that led to the loss.
Colton Daniels went all six innings Friday evening, giving up seven runs six hits, striking out three and issuing three walks. Daniels helped his effort on the hill by leading at the plate, going 2-3 and scoring three runs. Hooker and Hayden Williams had multiple hits in the game.
“We just got off to a slow start tonight,” said Miller. “I did like how the team responded to adversity throughout the game, it is a positive moving forward.”
JV War Hawk Play
In junior varsity results, the War Hawks lost 5-4 to Branchville High School on March 15. They were led by Cole Davis and Owen Harrelson who each had two hits. Harrelson pitched, allowing six hits across four innings. The following evening, they defeated Thomas Heyward 10-3. Braeden Hiers started on the hill for CPA going four innings while allowing only one run, Beau High also got time on the mound. At the plate, the Warhawks were led by Wylan Sheffield and Britton Phillips who scored three and two funs respectfully. The JV Hawks came out swinging on Wednesday, March 17 to defeat Beaufort Academy 17-2. Wylan Sheffield and Gavin Padgett both saw time on the mound.
Colleton Prep was scheduled to play three games this week, including hosting Orangeburg Prep on Monday, March 22. They will travel to John Paul II on Wednesday, March 24 before hosting Andrew Jackson on Friday, March 26.
