The Valwood baseball team opened its spring break tournament at St. Simons with a 6-3 loss against Bethlehem Christian on Thursday before taking a 9-4 loss against John Milledge Academy and an 11-1 loss against Frederica Academy on Friday.
In the tournament opener, Valwood fell into a four-run deficit after the first inning and couldn’t find the necessary offense to overcome Bethlehem Christian.
Russell Kiser’s grand slam to left lifted the Knights to a 4-0 advantage with two outs on the board in the first. They scored on an error in the second inning to increase the lead to 5-0 before the Valiants responded in the bottom half of the inning.
Sam Martin singled on a line drive to left field and scored Tayte Barry from second for Valwood.
The Knights singled in their final run in the third when Josh Farr singled on a line drive to center, scoring Ethan Guthas.
Dane Fafard motored from third and scored another Valwood run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third. The Valiants plated their final run on a fielder’s choice in the seventh.
Valwood and Bethlehem Christian finished with six hits apiece.
Jaharie Boone batted 2 for 4 to lead the Valiants. Mason Williams offered an RBI.
Mac McRae lasted four innings, allowing five hits for six runs (five earned) and no strikeouts and four walks for the Valiants.
Patrick Wallace started for the Knights, surrendering two earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts and six walks in 5 1/3. Dylan Parker allowed one hit for one run with two strikeouts and one walks in 1 2/3 innings.
Kiser paced Bethlehem Christian, batting 2 for 3 with four RBIs and a run scored. Farr batted 2 for 2 with an RBI and a run scored.
John Milledge Academy roared to a commanding 7-0 lead through three innings and the Valiants couldn’t recover Friday morning.
Valwood scored one run in the fifth and three in the sixth, finishing with nine hits in the loss.
Barry went 2 for 3 with a run scored for the Valiants. Colby McGee batted 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Tommy Davis surrendered five runs (four earned) on two hits with no strikeouts and two walks in one inning for Valwood. Fafard pitched four innings in relief, allowing seven hits for four runs (three earned) with three strikeouts and one walk.
Cody McCrary helped the Trojans get on the board in the opening inning. He grounded out to third, allowing Jared Prestwood to score. Two at-bats later, Brandon Hunnicut singled on a pop fly to right field and B. Bellflower scored before Colton Brewer stole home to cap the first-inning scoring.
John Milledge Academy had nine hits, led by Caleb Rogers, who batted a perfect 2 for 2 and scored two runs. Prestwood finished with two RBIs and scored a run.
McCrary surrendered eight hits for four earned runs with two strikeouts and no walks in 5 1/3 innings for the Trojans. Dustin Hostetler allowed one hit and no runs with one strikeout in 2/3 of an inning in relief.
Frederica Academy tacked a six-run fourth inning to its 4-0 lead and ousted Valwood in Friday’s second game.
The Knights scored on three singles and a walk in the fourth to take a commanding 10-1 advantage.
Derek Jernigan went 3 for 3 with three RBIs and scored three runs to lead Frederica Academy’s offense. Harry Veal added three RBIs on a 2-for-3 afternoon that saw the team record 11 hits.
Trey Thompson tossed five innings for the Knights, surrendering three hits for one earned run with five strikeouts and one walk.
McGee scored Valwood’s lone run in the second inning.
Drew Sawyer surrendered eight hits for 10 runs with one strikeout and four walks in 3 2/3 innings for the Valiants.
Valwood looks to salvage the weekend against Brentwood today at 9 a.m.