The Buford varsity baseball team manages to hold onto their lead to defeat Calhoun 6-5 in their home opener on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Gerald McQuaig Field.
The game’s first and last runs scored came from Calhoun as the Yellow Jackets scored first in the first inning and scored last in the top of the seventh inning. The Wolves were able to score enough runs in between to pull off the win.
Senior Eli McElwaney hit a single in the bottom of the second inning allowing junior Nate Taylor to score Buford’s first run of the game. The Wolves would add two runs in the bottom of the third when junior Ethan Murray homered to left field bringing in those two runs. During the fifth inning, Buford would score an additional three runs thanks to the bats of Bubba Coleman, Sam Humphrey and Drew Avant.
Buford’s bullpen would run into trouble in the top of the sixth allowing Calhoun the opportunity to score three runs in that inning. The Wolves would also turn to the bullpen to bail them out of trouble. Senior Wyatt Getz had entered the game in the fifth inning to relieve starting pitcher Nate Taylor, who gave up one run on four hits while striking out six and walking one in his four innings of work. Getz got through the fifth inning without incident but in the sixth inning things fell apart for him. He gave up three runs on three hits, a walk and a hit batter. Junior Damien Brown was called in to relieve Getz and was faced with the go ahead run at the plate and one out. Brown managed to get the two outs needed to stop Calhoun from scoring again in the sixth. Taylor records the win while Brown gets the save.
Offensive standouts for Buford were Murray (1-for-2, two-run home run, two RBIs, one walk), McElwaney (1-for-3, one RBI), Taylor (1-for-2, double, one run scored) and junior Jayden Clark (1-for-1, walk, two runs scored, one stolen base).
The Wolves overall season record improves to 1-1.
Up next for Buford is a road game at Loganville on Monday, Feb. 20 at 5 p.m.
