Statesboro head coach Chris Bishop notched career win number 300 as the Statesboro Blue Devils swept a doubleheader with Bradwell Friday at Mill Creek Park. The Blue Devils took the opener 8-0 and went on to win the nitecap by a score of 8-3. The wins improve their overall record to 12-6-1 and they are now 6-3 in region play.
“I really had no idea this was my 300th win,” Bishop said. “They came up to me and told me after the game and it was kind of shocking. I guess that means I have been coaching for a while, and I have had a lot of great players to help me get to this point. I’m much prouder that we were able to sweep Bradwell and put ourselves in a great spot in the region.”
The story in game one was the pitching of the Blue Devils brain Deal wo went into the seventh inning with a no-hitter. The Tigers Dustin Snelson led off the seventh with a flare to left which fell in for a single. Deal was able to set the Tigers down from there and it would be the only hit for Bradwell in the game.
“I felt like Brian pitched really well,” said Bishop. “I thought we were really focuses in the first game and were able to take advantage of a couple mistakes by Bradwell and played solid defense.”
In the second game the Blue Devils only scored in two innings, but in those two innings they scored four runs apiece. Bradwell had come back to cut the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth, but Statesboro immediately responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-2 lead.
“I don’t know if we were focused as much in the second game, but we made the plays when we had to,” Bishop said. “I thought Bruce Yawn pitched pretty well and everyone hit pretty well. We had a few errors but fortunately that didn’t really hurt us.”
Brian Deal, Denim Mincey and Mathis Lanier had two hits each in the second game. Yawn had a pair of RBI’s and also earned the win on the mound. Yawn threw 4.2 innings and allowed only one earned run on one hit and had eight strikeouts.
In the first game Landon yates led the way at the plate with three hits, while Yawn added a pair of hits. T.J. Durden and Drew Yawn both had a pair of RBI’s.
The three-game sweep put the Blue Devils into second place in the region standings with two more series ahead. Next week Statesboro steps out of region play as they host Swainsboro Tuesday at 6:00 and then travel to Savannah Friday to play Savannah Christian and Savannah Country Day in a doubleheader.
“I usually tell our guys not to look ahead,” Bishop said. “This year I have let them know if we take care of business against Jenkins it is going to come down to our series with Greenbrier. If we get some help we have a chance to win the region and if we can win a game or maybe two we should be able to secure second place and earn a home state playoff berth.”
