Gainesville Completes Sweep of Crackers by Eric Edmonson

The Gold Diggers picked up their eighth win of the season on the road against last year's SBL runner-ups, the Atlanta Crackers. In Monday's game the Gainesville bullpen showed some cracks and bent but didn't break. But in Wednesday's game, the bullpen hurled five scoreless innings against a tough Crackers' lineup. Overall, Wednesday's game was a pitching clinic by both sides, but timely hitting by the Gol'Diggers led them to a victory.

Gainesville got off to a hot start after Jacob Bohacek reached on a leadoff single and later came around to score on an RBI error that allowed Hunter Stonecipher to reach, extending the inning and loading the bases, making it a 1-0 game. Gainesville would be shut down after that, leaving the top of the first with just a one-run lead. UGA's Paul Farley started for Gainesville and ran into some trouble settling in. After a pair of runners got on and into scoring position, Jack Taylor of the Crackers hit a comebacker that Farley fielded and tried to catch the runner at third off guard. Farley threw the ball and sent it over the head of third baseman Grayson McCollum, allowing two to come home and score, giving the Crackers their first lead of the series with a 2-1 score. After that, Farley settled in nicely as both sides cruised through the early innings. Farley showed a rising fastball and great command on the corner en route to a seven-strikeout outing. His final line: 4IP/5H/7Ks/2R/0ER.

In the top of the fifth, the Gainesville Bats found themselves with an opportunity to tie up the ballgame. Dylan Holbrook came on to pitch for Atlanta and was rudely greeted by Ira Jefferies-Harris as the Gainesville second baseman lined a single and got things started for the Gol'Diggers. Jefferies-Harris showed off some speed, stealing second and advancing to third after a Hunter Stonecipher walk, putting the bat in the hands of Bryce England, who got the job done. England hit a chopper to the shortstop, beginning a 6-4-3 double play for the Crackers but opening the door for Ira Jefferies-Harris to come home and tie the game up at 2-2. 

Maret Drye would be the arm tasked with holding the game where it was going into the bottom of the fifth inning. Colby Cather would look to get to him quickly as he launched a ball to deep left field, the ball having a motive to give the Crackers the lead again, but tracking the ball the whole way was Noah Darden, as the Gainesville left-fielder scaled the fence in left to take away a home run, keeping the ballgame tied at 2-2. Drye would prove to be solid in a bounceback outing for the righty as he carried the Gol'Diggers through the seventh inning. Drye's final line: 3IP/2H/4Ks/0R.

In the top of the eighth, after innings of offensive frustration, the Gold Diggers finally found their way back on the board. The inning started with an Ira Jefferies-Harris single and subsequent stolen base, and after a strikeout, Gainesville looked to England with one away. Jefferies-Harris tested his luck trying for a steal of third. This time the Crackers were able to get the speedy second baseman for the second out of the inning. With two away, England launched a ball to the gap in right-center, making it all the way to third on the play, putting him 90 feet away from Gainesville, taking the lead, and putting the bat in the hands of Noah Darden. Darden had already played hero once before in this game, and he looked to do it again, and after battling through a tough at-bat, Darden chopped the ball to the right side and hustled all the way down the line, beating the flip to the covering pitcher for a go-ahead RBI infield single, making the score 3-2. The rally would end there, however, as Gainesville would strand Darden at first, giving the ball to Pierce Juhan the rest of the way. Juhan quickly dispatched Crackers, picking up a strikeout along the way. The Gol'Diggers would be retired in order in the ninth, setting up a tense, close situation for Juhan, to which the righty was up for the task, slamming the door on the Crackers and securing Gainesville a 3-2 victory.

Gainesville has now won three in a row as they head home to face off against the Atlanta Blues. The bullpen appears to have found its key arms as the offense is still getting good looks against great competition. 

Gainesville is 8-4.