The Sonic Drive-In Player-of-the-Game for Friday, March 15, is Logan Carlisle of the Gainesville baseball team.
The junior helped Gainesville at the plate and on the mound as the Hurricanes evened up the 2-game series with 7A-District 3 rival Columbia following a 10-8 win in Lake City on Friday night. The Tigers won Thursday night’s game in Gainesville, 11-10.
In his first varsity start on the mound, Carlisle allowed four runs on seven hits in four innings of work, with five strikeouts and two walks.
“Logan has embodied everything you want as a coach,” said Gainesville coach Chris Malphurs, whose team improved to 3-5 overall and 1-1 in league play. “He set the tone for us and helped us get our first win in Lake City since 2008. I’m really proud of him.”
Columbia took an early 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first by St. John’s River State College signee Cal Gilliam.
However, senior Marcos Aular (3-for-3 with two runs scored) led off the top of the second with a base hit and Carlisle walked to put two on with one out. Aular would score on an error, and courtesy runner Shane Matthews, who was running for Carlisle, stole home to give GHS a 2-1 lead against the Tigers (2-5, 1-1).
Gainesville added two more in the fourth as Santa Fe College signee Luke Marquis singled to right field with two outs, scoring senior David Rowe (2-for-4) and senior Seth Cox (3-for-4), who had both singled.
However, Columbia answered in the bottom of the inning on a bases-loaded double by junior Tate Worrell, scoring Lance Minson, Cole Williams and Mason Gray, all of whom had singled as part of a 4-hit inning to tie the game 4-4 heading to the fifth.
In the top of the 5th, Carlisle led off with a double and Matthews would score, along with junior Robbie Collins, on another Tiger error.
The ‘Canes added two more in the sixth for a 8-4 lead.
However, Columbia answered again with four in the bottom of the 6th to tie the game at 8-8 on RBI doubles by Gillam, Dylan Blair and Minson against reliever Zeb Marquis.
Cox scored the winning run in the top of the 7th following a lead-off infield hit, with Zeb Marquis adding an insurance run. Marquis then retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to give the Hurricanes the win on the road.
Malphurs was complimentary of his starting pitcher, who also broke out of a hitting slump with his double in the fifth.
“Here’s a kid who started 0-for-8 with six strikeouts and didn’t complain about not playing recently,” he said. “He showed up everyday and waited for his opportunity. When he got it, he made sure he made the most of it.”
Wild was the best way to describe Friday night’s baseball game between Columbia and Gainesville in the district opener between both teams. The Tigers and Hurricanes combined for 21 runs and 28 hits, with seven lead changes.
The game ended with the tying run at third and the winning run at second in the bottom of the 7th, as Columbia held on for the win.
Gainesville will travel to Newberry on Monday, while Columbia will play Harmony at the Fernandina Beach spring break tournament beginning on Thursday.
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.
