GAINESVILLE -- Gainesville baseball will enter the Region 8-AAAAA schedule on Friday with an undefeated record -- the Red Elephants assured as much in dramatic fashion on Tuesday in a doubleheader at Ivey-Watson Field in Gainesville.
After winning Game 1 with ease, 11-0 over Central Gwinnett in five innings, the Red Elephants entered the bottom of the seventh in Game 2 against Mountain View trailing 3-0. Then came the fireworks.
Michael Gettys led off by reaching base on a sharply hit ball that Mountain View's shortstop couldn't handle. Gettys eventually scored on a wild pitch, setting the stage for Caleb Whitenton, who blasted a two-run home run to knot the score at 3-3. Then, with two outs on the board, Gainesville (8-0) reeled off three straight hits, as Jonathan Gettys, Chandler Newton and Luke Maddox each came up with key at-bats to push the Red Elephants across the finish line -- Maddox driving in Jonathan Gettys after Newton doubled.
Jonathan Gettys finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate.
Hunter Anglin earned the win on the mound after striking out two and allowing no runs in one inning of relief work. Newton started the game on the mound and allowed zero earned runs in six innings of work, though the Red Elephants did commit four errors in the field.
No comeback was needed in Game 1, though Whitenton also played a key role in the victory, pitching four innings while striking out six Central Gwinnett batters. Sam Carpenter also pitched one inning to help combine for the shutout.
Maddox went 3-for-4 at the plate in the win, while Brandon Sewell went 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs.
Gainesville will play again at 5:55 p.m. Friday against Winder-Barrow in an 8-AAAAA showdown at Ivey-Watson between two top 10-ranked programs.
