Walsh pitches second no-hitter as Wildcats topple Eagles twice
Published 1:00 pm Friday, April 5, 2024
- LEFT: Pleasant Home’s Reedi Bozeman gets set to deliver a pitch. Bozeman threw 2 2/3 innings and was the only Eagle to reach base twice on walks. RIGHT: Florala’s Ayden Brooks scores on a play in the top of the first inning. Brooks recorded two hits and two RBIs for the Wildcats at the plate. (PHOTOS COURTESY OF TINA BOLES)
Easton Walsh pitched his second no-hitter of the season as Florala earned a 15-0 road shutout at Pleasant Home in a varsity baseball area game on Tuesday, April 2.
The two teams then met up again on Thursday, April 4, in Florala. The Wildcats improved to 13-1 overall and 6-0 in 1A Area 2 with the two wins. The Eagles fell to 3-12 and 3-3 in 1A Area 2.
Dalton Jackson led off the game with a single on the first pitch. Cody Walsh followed with an RBI double, and E. Walsh pushed the lead to 2-0 on an RBI single. Jacob Laura and Preston Truman were each hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Ayden Brooks and Laura then scored on an error as the score moved to 6-0. Following a groundout, Jackson drove home Truman and Kaden Cantrell with a two-run double. Jackson scored the ninth run on a dropped third strike, and C. Walsh found the plate on a wild pitch. Brooks capped the scoring in the top of the first with a two-run single. Jack Wiggins recorded a flyout and strikeout in relief of starting pitcher Talan Worley. Reedi Bozeman took a leadoff walk in the home half, but E. Walsh struck out two and kept the score 12-0 after one inning.
Wiggins started the top of the second with back-to-back strikeouts and retired the side in order. E. Walsh also had a 1-2-3 frame and struck out the side on 16 pitches.
The visiting third went by rather quickly when Bozeman was sent to the mound. He needed only nine pitches to retire all three Florala batters. E. Walsh continued to hold Pleasant Home at bay as Bozeman reached on a two-out walk but was unable to advance. E. Walsh earned a strikeout and sent the game to the fourth inning.
Brooks and Laura both reached on consecutive singles in the visiting fourth. After a groundout by Christian Carnley, courtesy runner Gunner Taylor and Laura moved up. Bozeman struck out the next two batters, but Taylor came home on a wild pitch and gave the Wildcats a 13-0 lead. E. Walsh continued his mastery on the mound with another 1-2-3 inning and struck out the side on 12 pitches.
Jackson led off the top of the fifth with a double and came home on an RBI single from E. Walsh two batters later. Cody Walsh scored the final run on an RBI single by Dawson Reeves for a 15-0 margin. E. Walsh wrapped up the game early in the bottom half with three more strikeouts.
Jackson led the Wildcats at the plate and went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Brooks was 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBIs. The Walsh brothers also added two hits in the win. E. Walsh threw all five innings and struck out 13 batters.
Bozeman drew two walks, which wound up being the only two times the Eagles reached base. Following Worley, Wiggins threw 1 2/3 innings in relief and gave up one run on two hits with three strikeouts. Bozeman went 2 2/3 innings in relief and had four strikeouts on the mound.
Both teams will close out their area schedules next week. Florala hosts Kinston on Monday, April 8, and Pleasant Home travels to Elba on Tuesday, April 9.