After three days of baseball that spanned 25 innings, the Red team outscored the Black team 24-10 to claim the 2024 Fall World Series Sunday at Athens Academy.
The series began with seven innings on Thursday. The Red squad, under the direction of graduate transfer Nolan McCarthy, jumped out to a 7-2 advantage over the Black team, captained by senior Henry Hunter. The highlights included:
*Redshirt freshman Paul Farley and junior transfer JT Quinn combined to limit the Black team to a pair of runs on three hits while registering 13 strikeouts. Farley went the first four innings with five strikeouts while Quinn struck out eight over the final three frames.
*Offensively, junior Kolby Branch erased a 1-0 deficit with a two-run blast as part of a four-run outburst in the bottom of the first.
*The Red team made it 6-1 in the second inning including a base-loaded RBI-single by graduate transfer Ryland Zaborowski.
*Freshman Michael Mullinax, junior transfer TL Saxon and Zaborowski finished with two hits apiece as part of a 12-hit attack.
*The Black team managed singles from sophomore Tre Phelps and freshman Alexander Sifford while Hunter smacked a double. Senior Slate Alford picked up the lone RBI for the Black team.
*Sophomore Wyatt Land struck out four in two innings of relief for the Black team while sophomore transfer Zach Brown provided 2.2 innings of relief with three strikeouts.
*Junior transfer Alton Davis II started for the Black team and scattered nine hits with four strikeouts over two innings.
On Friday, the Black team responded with an 8-5 advantage over the next nine innings to close the gap to just a two-run margin. The highlights included:
*Leading 2-0 in the seventh, freshman Bryce Clavon launched a solo home run. After walks to junior transfer Charlie Jones and Phelps, Hunter crushed a three-run home run to centerfield to make it 6-0.
*After being blanked for seven innings, the Red team made things interesting with a five-run eruption starting with a solo home run by sophomore Trey King. Freshman Cade Brown reached on an infield single, Mullinax drew a walk, and Branch was intentionally walked to load the bases. Senior transfer Robbie Burnett crushed a grand slam to centerfield to make it a one-run affair.
*Alford led all hitters with a 3-for-5 effort while Saxon went 2-for-5 with a double for the Red team.
*The Black team was led on the mound by junior transfer Brian Curley and junior Matthew Hoskins as they each provided 3.1 innings with three strikeouts.
*Graduate Collin Caldwell, who missed the 2024 season recovering from elbow surgery, started for the Black team and went one scoreless inning with two walks and one strikeout.
*Junior transfer Justin Byrd started for the Red team and struck out two in an inning. Redshirt freshman Ryker Chavis followed with a 2.2 innings and three strikeouts.
*Junior transfer Lucas Morici struck out a team-best four over 2.1 innings for the Red team.
*The Black team would get a pair of runs back in the bottom of the ninth to extend their lead and now heads into Sunday trailing the Red team 12-10 with nine innings left to play.
On Sunday, the Red team scored early and often in a 12-0 decision and take the series in convincing fashion. The highlights included:
*The starting pitching matchup featured Black team junior Zach Harris versus Red team sophomore transfer Jordan Stephens. It was Stephens who tallied six strikeouts over three scoreless frames while Harris registered a pair of Ks in 2.1 innings.
*In the first, Burnett doubled and scored on an RBI-groundout by Saxon for a 13-10 lead.
*In the second, the Red team loaded the bases with two outs and captain McCarthy delivered a two-run double as part of a 5-RBI afternoon to extend the advantage to 15-10.
*The third frame saw the Red squad push across four more runs to make it 19-10 highlighted by a two-run double by sophomore transfer Daniel Jackson (3-for-4, 2 RBI).
*Redshirt senior Tyler McLoughlin took care of the middle three innings with five strikeouts. In the fourth, the Black team loaded the bases on a Clavon single and a pair of hit by pitches before he eventually struck out the side.
*Sophomore Luke Wiltrakis started the fourth for the Black team and pitched a perfect frame with two strikeouts before allowing a single to King, a double Jackson and a two-run single by freshman Cade Brown (2-for-5) in his second inning of work to make it 21-10.
*Freshman Asher Sabom tossed two scoreless innings and freshman Jax Phillips took care of the final frame for the Red team.
*Phelps managed two of the Black team’s three hits on the day.
*McCarthy smashed a three-run home run in the seventh in what turned out to be the final 24-10.
The series began with seven innings on Thursday. The Red squad, under the direction of graduate transfer Nolan McCarthy, jumped out to a 7-2 advantage over the Black team, captained by senior Henry Hunter. The highlights included:
*Redshirt freshman Paul Farley and junior transfer JT Quinn combined to limit the Black team to a pair of runs on three hits while registering 13 strikeouts. Farley went the first four innings with five strikeouts while Quinn struck out eight over the final three frames.
*Offensively, junior Kolby Branch erased a 1-0 deficit with a two-run blast as part of a four-run outburst in the bottom of the first.
*The Red team made it 6-1 in the second inning including a base-loaded RBI-single by graduate transfer Ryland Zaborowski.
*Freshman Michael Mullinax, junior transfer TL Saxon and Zaborowski finished with two hits apiece as part of a 12-hit attack.
*The Black team managed singles from sophomore Tre Phelps and freshman Alexander Sifford while Hunter smacked a double. Senior Slate Alford picked up the lone RBI for the Black team.
*Sophomore Wyatt Land struck out four in two innings of relief for the Black team while sophomore transfer Zach Brown provided 2.2 innings of relief with three strikeouts.
*Junior transfer Alton Davis II started for the Black team and scattered nine hits with four strikeouts over two innings.
On Friday, the Black team responded with an 8-5 advantage over the next nine innings to close the gap to just a two-run margin. The highlights included:
*Leading 2-0 in the seventh, freshman Bryce Clavon launched a solo home run. After walks to junior transfer Charlie Jones and Phelps, Hunter crushed a three-run home run to centerfield to make it 6-0.
*After being blanked for seven innings, the Red team made things interesting with a five-run eruption starting with a solo home run by sophomore Trey King. Freshman Cade Brown reached on an infield single, Mullinax drew a walk, and Branch was intentionally walked to load the bases. Senior transfer Robbie Burnett crushed a grand slam to centerfield to make it a one-run affair.
*Alford led all hitters with a 3-for-5 effort while Saxon went 2-for-5 with a double for the Red team.
*The Black team was led on the mound by junior transfer Brian Curley and junior Matthew Hoskins as they each provided 3.1 innings with three strikeouts.
*Graduate Collin Caldwell, who missed the 2024 season recovering from elbow surgery, started for the Black team and went one scoreless inning with two walks and one strikeout.
*Junior transfer Justin Byrd started for the Red team and struck out two in an inning. Redshirt freshman Ryker Chavis followed with a 2.2 innings and three strikeouts.
*Junior transfer Lucas Morici struck out a team-best four over 2.1 innings for the Red team.
*The Black team would get a pair of runs back in the bottom of the ninth to extend their lead and now heads into Sunday trailing the Red team 12-10 with nine innings left to play.
On Sunday, the Red team scored early and often in a 12-0 decision and take the series in convincing fashion. The highlights included:
*The starting pitching matchup featured Black team junior Zach Harris versus Red team sophomore transfer Jordan Stephens. It was Stephens who tallied six strikeouts over three scoreless frames while Harris registered a pair of Ks in 2.1 innings.
*In the first, Burnett doubled and scored on an RBI-groundout by Saxon for a 13-10 lead.
*In the second, the Red team loaded the bases with two outs and captain McCarthy delivered a two-run double as part of a 5-RBI afternoon to extend the advantage to 15-10.
*The third frame saw the Red squad push across four more runs to make it 19-10 highlighted by a two-run double by sophomore transfer Daniel Jackson (3-for-4, 2 RBI).
*Redshirt senior Tyler McLoughlin took care of the middle three innings with five strikeouts. In the fourth, the Black team loaded the bases on a Clavon single and a pair of hit by pitches before he eventually struck out the side.
*Sophomore Luke Wiltrakis started the fourth for the Black team and pitched a perfect frame with two strikeouts before allowing a single to King, a double Jackson and a two-run single by freshman Cade Brown (2-for-5) in his second inning of work to make it 21-10.
*Freshman Asher Sabom tossed two scoreless innings and freshman Jax Phillips took care of the final frame for the Red team.
*Phelps managed two of the Black team’s three hits on the day.
*McCarthy smashed a three-run home run in the seventh in what turned out to be the final 24-10.
