LowcoSports.com
The early portion of the schedule has been a bumpy ride for Beaufort High’s baseball team, which followed up a spirited showing at the Sandlapper Shootout with a sluggish effort in a home-and-home with Bluffton before blasting McIntosh County Academy on Friday.
Beaufort was undone by 11 errors and 11 free passes in the series with the Bobcats, managing only a Jadyn Andrews single against ace Miles Frye in a 5-1 road loss Monday and watching seven errors lead to a 6-4 home defeat Wednesday.
But when the Eagles have been at their best, they’ve been tough to beat, and they righted the ship in a 14-0 rout of McIntosh County Academy, as Hudson Mullen dominated on the mound and at the plate. The junior was 2-for-2 with a homer and four RBIs and struck out 13 with one walk in a five-inning one-hitter. Robby Winburn was 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs and Will Herron drove in three runs.
The Eagles (3-2) figure to be among the contenders for the Region 8-3A title, and they have a key region series against Philip Simmons this week with a road game Tuesday and a visit from the Iron Horses on Friday. In between, Beaufort hosts Hilton Head Christian Academy for a cross-classification showdown Wednesday then makes the trip to HHCA for the rematch Thursday.
JPII’s Putnam tosses 3rd no-hitter
Ross Putnam was dealing Tuesday night. The John Paul II senior right-hander and Brevard College signee needed just 76 pitches to complete a five-inning no-hitter in a 10-0 win over First Baptist. Putnam struck out six and worked around four walks, and his younger brother led the hit parade for JPII, as Talon Putnam was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run.
It was a big week for the Golden Warriors, who also held on for a 3-2 win over Battery Creek behind a strong start from Garrett Heathcott and another strong effort at the plate from Talon Putnam, who was 2-for-2 with a triple and an RBI from the leadoff spot.
JPII (5-2) lost 8-1 at home to region power Hilton Head Prep on Monday and heads to Sea Pines for the rematch Wednesday before hosting Thomas Heyward on Friday.