Bulldogs end season with summit conference

The Gainesville Bulldog baseball team took second place in the summit tournament in Mansfield behind the hosting school after falling to the Mansfield Pirates 6-0 in the final game. 

“We finished 14-7 but after our first seven games, we finished winning 11 of our last 14,” said GHS head baseball coach Blake Hobbs. 

Hunter Luna led the team with a .383 average and 23 hits. Andrew Hambelton wasn’t far behind him with a .354 average and 23 hits. 

Grant Leeker was on the mound with the most innings pitched at 22.1 innings pitched and held 34 strikeouts. Dawson Hewett led the team in earned run average with 1.400, Grant Leeker and Brady Myers were just behind him with 1.567 (Leeker) and 1.780 (Myers).

“Our team showed a lot of improvement from the start of the season to the end. We were dealt a tough hand playing 13 games in a total of 19 days, but the boys persevered and continued to work hard. I was proud of what I saw there,” Hobbs said. “Our team has a lot of fight in them. We came from behind in multiple games including two seventh inning come-from-behind wins in the conference tournament.”

Going into the spring season, Hobbs said the players have a lot to work on, specifically hitting and baserunning, but he’s very optimistic about what the boys are going to bring to the table.

“Our sophomores will continue to mature, especially as they go through basketball season. It is exciting knowing a mainly younger group will come into the spring season with already a sign of maturity under them,” he added. 

The Bulldogs defeated Conway 5-3 in the 9-inning first game of summit play Oct. 2. The Bulldogs also secured a win against Hartville the next night, winning 5-2.