Bulldogs baseball now 6-1 for the year
photo by Karla Smith Gainesville High School senior Dawson Hewett slings a pitch toward the plate in the Sept. 4 game against Bakersfield.
The Gainesville Bulldogs baseball teams had a strong week, showing both power at the plate and precision on the mound. Coached by Blake Hobbs, the varsity squad continues to impress, while the junior varsity experienced its share of highs and lows.
The week opened with a dominant home sweep of Dora on Sept. 2. The varsity powered to an 18-0 victory, swinging with confidence and making damage with nearly every at-bat. Keegan Crouse led the pitching staff with three scoreless innings, striking out eight while allowing only one hit. The junior varsity also came away with a decisive 8-1 win.
On Sept. 4, Gainesville faced a strong Bakersfield squad at home. The varsity took the win 3-1 behind a complete game from Dawson Hewett, who fanned five and gave up just one run on four hits. The junior varsity battled to a 1-1 tie in a tightly contested match-up.
The week wrapped up with a home game against Mansfield on Sept. 5. The varsity overcame an early 2-0 deficit, responding with timely hitting and solid defense to secure a 7-3 victory. Grant Leeker earned the pitching win, tossing five innings with 11 strikeouts and just two runs allowed, while Brayden Miller closed out the game with two innings of relief. The junior varsity fell 6-2 but gained valuable experience.
Offensively, the Bulldogs were firing on all cylinders. Dawson Hewett and Grant Leeker each collected three hits for the week, including triples, while Avery Rodrigue added a double and triple and scored three runs. Owen Donley and Aden Gaulding also contributed three hits apiece.
Hobbs praised the team, calling this varsity squad potentially the best he’s coached. “The boys swung with no fear against Dora, and the confidence showed,” he said. “Against Bakersfield, we pitched and played defense well, and offensively we made things happen. Against Mansfield, we responded well after an early deficit and continued to hit hard while playing exceptional defense.”
Fans can now enjoy games with the scoreboard back in action thanks to the efforts of Butch Hornstra and Todd Luna. Varsity games are also tracked on the GameChanger app under Gainesville Bulldogs Varsity, allowing supporters to follow along and see the stats live.