Brookland–Cayce’s Tanner Petrey pitches against Dreher. Photo by Paulene Cruse For four innings, Dreher’s Alex Shaw pitched a tough game. He had given up only three hits while shutting out the Brookland–Cayce Bearcats. But, in the fifth inning the Bearcats broke through for six runs en route to an 8–4 Brookland–Cayce victory over Dreher on Friday, March 19. Shaw pitched five innings giving up six runs on eight hits. Brookland– Cayce’s Tanner Petrey pitched six innings giving up three runs on three hits.

Dreher took an early 1–0 lead after Shaw drove in Eli Latham on a fielder’s choice. Dreher added to the lead in the fourth inning. Thomas Awtrey got a one out single, then advanced to third after Marshall Baker’s single. While facing off against Chase Edgar, Petrey was called for a balk, allowing Baker to advance to second and Awtrey to cross the plate to give Dreher a 2–0 lead.

In the top of the fifth, the Bearcats found their offensive firepower. Garrett Williams started the inning off with a single. A bunt single from Michael Gilroy gave the Bearcats runners at first and second, then Kenyata Castleberry’s bunt single loaded the bases for the Bearcats. Williams and Gilroy scored on Zack Warner’s 0–2 single tying the game at 2–2. A single from Chase Shelton once again loaded the bases for the Bearcats. Petrey helped his own cause as he brought in the three base runners with a double, giving Brookland–Cayce its first lead of the night at 5–2. Following a bunt out from Zack Lawson, Petrey scored on an RBI double from Addison Delk extending the lead to 6–2.

The Blue Devils cut into the lead at the bottom of the fifth. Following a pop out from Bud Jeter, Chandler Knox belted a double giving Dreher a runner in scoring position. After Shaw grounded out, Michael O’Neal hit a single bringing in Knox to shrink the deficit to 6–3.

In the top of the sixth, the Bearcats built their lead back up. A walk to Gilroy gave the Bearcats a base runner to start the inning. Back–to–back ground outs from Castleberry and Warner moved Gilroy over to third. A single from Shelton brought in Gilroy giving Brookland–Cayce a 7–3 lead. Two batters later, Shelton scored on a wild pitch on a 1–2 count to Lawson making the score 8–3 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Garrett Williams came on to close out the game for the Bearcats in the bottom of the seventh. He gave up a lead off single to Jeter. After forcing Knox into a ground out, he hit Shaw and walked O’Neal to load the bases. After striking out Rhett Munson, he again hit a batter, Awtrey, allowing a run to score. However that was all the runs Williams allowed as he struck out the next batter to preserve the win for Brookland– Cayce.