<strong>From staff reports
Photo by Bob Sofaly</strong>

Hunter Hollingsworth’s two-run triple in the seventh padded Battery Creek baseball’s lead and the right-hander closed out the game with back-to-back strikeouts propelling the Dolphins to a 4-0 region win over Academic Magnet on Tuesday at Shipyard Park.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>

Luke Sanders dazzled on the mound, throwing six shutout innings while striking out eight to get the win. The senior lefty put Creek on the board in the third with an RBI double, scoring CJ Robinson, who opened the inning with a leadoff walk and stole second to move into scoring position.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>

“Complete team effort,” Creek coach Billy Allen said. “Luke (Sanders) had a terrific outing and Hollingsworth finished it off there in the seventh. A great way to start off region play.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>

Academic Magnet had a chance to break the game open in the bottom of the second after the Raptors loaded the bases with no outs. But Sanders found his stride, striking out the next three batters to get out of the inning.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>

After the Dolphins’ run in the second, the two teams remained scoreless until the seventh. Robinson led off with a walk and advanced to second base on a throwing error. Hollingsworth’s two-run triple followed, and Bradley Smith capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to score Hollingsworth.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>

“We will look at the positives from tonight’s game and look to keep the momentum heading into this weekend,” Allen said. “We’ll get right back at it tomorrow, but we’ll enjoy this one.”

Battery Creek (1-2, 1-0) and Academic Magnet will square off again on Friday at Dolphin Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.

<em>Above: Hilton Head Prep’s Harrison Green goes into the air to catch a bad throw as Battery Creek’s Quade Matthews makes it back to second base during the top of the third inning on Monday, March 25. The Dolphins gave up 14 runs in the fifth inning and lost their opening game to the Sea Hawks, 17-3.</em>