The Sonic Drive-In Player-of-the-Game for Thursday, April 25, is Parker Green of the Buchholz (Gainesville) baseball team.
In what started out as a pitchers’ duel but ended with an offensive ‘blast,’ the Buchholz Bobcats rallied for a 6-2 win at rival Gainesville in eight innings.
Green had the hit of the night as he crushed a fastball over the leftfield fence with the bases loaded in the top of the 8th. It was the third home run in three games for the junior, who helped lead the Bobcats (14-8) to their 12th win in the past 15 meetings against the rival Hurricanes.
“It’s always awesome playing them” said Green, who struggled to get the words out after getting hit in the throat by a baseball in the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied 2-2. “I’ve just been seeing it really well.”
Despite the injury, Green stayed in the game, and Buchholz is glad that he did.
“I just tried to go up there and make solid contact, and I got a hold of it,” said Green, who batted 8th in the line-up. “It was a fastball right down the middle.”
Buchholz led early 1-0, but trailed 2-1 heading into the top of the fifth. Junior Austin Akey had a 2-out hit to keep the inning alive and junior Corbin Grantham was able to score the tying run on a throwing error by the catcher.
“I like our guys resolve,” said Buchholz coach Ron Brooks, who also noted he was really disappointed with their bats early in the game. “We did a really good job just staying together. Luke gave us a great start, and then Parker came up with the big hit over the fence, and then made a great diving play in the bottom of the 8th.”
For Gainesville (11-10), it was the second straight loss after an 8-game winning streak. However, head coach Chris Malphurs was proud of his team’s effort..
“It was a really good high school baseball game,” he said. “If you would have told me before the game with Luke Baker (Buchholz) and Luke Marquis (Gainesville) on the mound that both of them would leave and get a no-decision, I wouldn’t have believed you. They both pitched a great game and it just came down to one swing in the end, and Parker Green just hit a blast for them to win it.”
Marquis, a Santa Fe College signee, set the tone early. He struck out eight batters in just over five innings of work.
Baker, an Ole Miss commit, fanned 10 before exiting in the 7th.
Buchholz will host Gainesville on Friday night at 7 p.m. We’ll have coverage of the game beginning at 6:45 p.m Click here to watch the game.
Every game The Prep Zone will recognize a Player-of-the-Game. The recipient receives a $10 gift certificate courtesy of Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville & Ocala.
