JPII, Beaufort off to quick starts
By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
For several years now, John Paul II baseball coach Steve Gaylets has had to live with the growing pains of a young team. But all that growth leads somewhere, and the Golden Warriors have enjoyed some early success on the diamond this spring.
JPII opened with an 8-4 win over Bridges Prep with several of those young role players from years past making key contributions, and the Golden Warriors kept it rolling with a doubleheader sweep of St. Andrew’s before taking their first loss Monday against Colleton Prep.
Ross Putnam and Garrett Heathcott are the veteran leaders of a pitching staff that has developed some depth with Archer Dewig growing into a formidable arm, and Dewig and freshman Jackson Reilley have led the offense along with Heathcott.
JPII faces stiff region competition from talented Hilton Head Prep and Hilton Head Christian Academy teams, but the Golden Warriors have cultivated enough depth of talent to contend with both this season.
Frye cools Beaufort’s bats
Beaufort High enters this season with high expectations after a deep playoff run a year ago, and the Eagles showed how dangerous their lineup can be with two impressive wins at the Sandlapper Shootout on Saturday, rallying for a 5-4 walkoff win over Byrnes before pounding Pendleton, 9-2.
The bats went quiet Monday at Bluffton, though, as Miles Frye tossed a one-hitter and struck out 11 Eagles in a 5-1 Bobcats win. Gunner Hollingsworth held the Bobcats at bay early, but Bluffton broke it open in the fifth and Frye took care of the rest. Jadyn Andrews had the lone hit for the Eagles.
Davis fueling Mighty Lions
Holy Trinity’s fledgling baseball program opened its season with a 13-8 win at St. Andrew’s before falling 10-7 at Bridges Prep on Thursday. And the Mighty Lions have found a key bat to build around in the middle of the order.
Jay Davis is off to a red-hot start, going 6-for-8 with a double and a homer along with five RBIs in the first two games. Ben Solomons has also been hot at the plate, going 3-for-6 with a double.
Scores
John Paul II 8, Bridges Prep 4
Holy Trinity 11, St. Andrew’s 6
Bridges Prep 10, Holy Trinity 7
John Paul II 8, St. Andrew’s 1
John Paul II 4, St. Andrew’s 2
Beaufort 5, Byrnes 4
Beaufort 9, Pendleton 2
Bluffton 5, Beaufort 1
Bamberg-Ehrhardt 10, Bridges Prep 0
Colleton Prep 8, John Paul II 2
