Mullen’s gem snaps Eagles’ skid
LowcoSports.com
When his team needed him the most, Beaufort High’s Hudson Mullen delivered.
The wheels were wobbling after the Eagles dropped the first three of four consecutive games last week, including a pair of lopsided defeats to Hilton Head Christian Academy, but Mullen hit the reset button and helped Beaufort salvage a split of its first region series.
The junior right-hander struck out 15 in a two-hit shutout Friday, allowing two walks and hitting a batter in a 3-0 win to split the series with the Iron Horses. Mullen is known for his prowess behind the plate and a powerful bat, but he has emerged as the Eagles’ ace on the mound this season, racking up 34 strikeouts in 16 innings while allowing just one run.
Beaufort was on the other end of a 3-0 result in the series opener, as Nolan Clifford limited the Eagles to one hit and struck out 13 in a dominant effort. Beaufort’s bats didn’t do much against HHCA, either, as the Eagles fell 17-1 and 13-3 while holding back Mullen for a pivotal region matchup.
JPII rebounds with Putnam’s gem
John Paul II bounced back from a two-game sweep against Hilton Head Prep to take down Thomas Heyward 3-0 on Friday as Ross Putnam pitched another gem.
Just 10 days removed from throwing a no-hitter against First Baptist, Putnam turned in another stellar outing against the Rebels, striking out six and allowing four hits and one walk in a complete game.
In 18 innings this season, Putnam has compiled a 2.33 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 18 strikeouts. The right-hander has signed to play at Brevard College next season.
Mighty Lions take down Dolphins
Holy Trinity’s fledgling baseball program earned a signature win Monday, rallying for a 10-6 victory at Battery Creek.
The Mighty Lions scored three runs in the sixth and two in the seventh to force extra innings, then broke out for five in the eighth to stun the Dolphins, who couldn’t hold the lead for Aiden Hovest.
Hovest outdueled Barnes Gooding for five innings, and Creek held a 2-0 lead until Gooding chased his counterpart with a solo homer leading of the sixth to cut the deficit in half. The Mighty Lions teed off against the bullpen, putting up 10 runs in three innings, and Ben Solomons went 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs and threw two solid innings of relief to earn the win.
