Brantley at home 12-5

By KEVIN PEARCEY

Sports Writer

Jason Burgens knocked a three run homer in the bottom of the fourth to help Goshen defeat Brantley 12-5 yesterday at Eagles Field.

With the Eagles up 4-1, Burgens took a solid swing at a curve ball and sent it arching high over left field and out of play.

"That was a big home run," said Goshen coach Chad Dube. "We’ve been waiting for Jason to break out with something like that. He’s been a little anxious at the plate lately, but finally he waited on a pitch that he could drive in and he did it."

Brantley jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but that was all the Bulldogs would see in awhile as freshman pitcher Brandon Hooks and the GHS defense shut them down.

Hooks picked up the win for the Eagles and struck out eight Brantley batters. He also ripped an RBI single straight up the gut of the Bulldogs infield in the third inning and also had a base hit in the bottom of the fifth.

Dube said that Hooks has really developed this year as a pitcher.

"This year he’s (Hooks) starting to make some steps to mature on both the mound and the plate," he said. "He’s coming around and he had a great game today."

Clarence Bean tied the game in the second inning with an RBI single and Lionel Potts drove in Averick Rogers with a double in the bottom of the third to give the Eagles the lead for good. David Whatley also had a good day at the plate for Goshen, with a single in the fourth and an RBI double in the fifth inning.

Dube said he was particularly impressed with Whatley’s play.

"David had a breakout performance today," he said. "That single and double were just his second and third hits of the year."

Brantley cut the Goshen lead in half in the sixth inning, scoring three runs to make the score 8-4. An error by the catcher Rogers cost the Eagles two runs. Hooks gave up two hits in the inning but recovered to get the final out at the plate.

"It got a little shaky there in the sixth," said Dube. "Averick had the bad throw to third when he should have held it. But other then that we played pretty solid in the field."

Senior Jonathan "Cat-Daddy" Catrick had a two RBI single in the sixth to finish off the scoring for Goshen.

"Big ‘Cat-Daddy’ is a senior, so it was good to see him come in and contribute to the win," said Dube.