GMC News

STRONG ARM: GMC Prep pitcher Mack Brooks is one of the main reason the team is off to a 3-0 start this season. Brooks finished Monday’s game versus Putnam County with 11 strikeouts. Brent Martin March 1, 2011 GMC Prep baseball blasts off to 3-0 start Nolan Baugh, Ray Mosley power Bulldogs past Putnam Monday Brent Martin The Union-Recorder The Union-Recorder Tue Mar 01, 2011, 08:00 AM EST MILLEDGEVILLE — Starting strong is something every team aspires to do, and Monday night the GMC Prep Bulldogs continued to stay unbeaten as they flattened Putnam County in their home opener, 13-3. The win puts the Bulldogs at 3-0 on the season after big road wins versus Putnam County Feb. 22, 16-11, and Monticello Feb. 25, 8-7. GMC Prep pitcher Mack Brooks took the mound and did a fine job of staying steady and securing the victory. He finished with 11 strikeouts on the night. Trailing Putnam County 3-0 in the third inning, the Bulldog bats came alive as junior Ray Mosley made perfect contact, knocking the ball over the right field fence for GMC’s first run of the game. Later in the inning, junior Nolan Baugh would continue the surge as he blasted a home run to the centerfield wall, only to see it clear as his teammates emptied the dugout to greet him. The shot closed the gap to 3-2 Putnam. “I’m real proud of us. We are a young team, but we are really stepping up. We’ve got lots of young players out there but we are really coming together,” said Baugh. “We are getting some confidence.” In the fourth inning, GMC’s Wesley Zant was hit by a pitch and quickly stole second base to set up a scoring opportunity. GMC’s Billy Whitlock then showed a lot of poise by driving a double to knock in Zant and tie the game up at 3-3. Later in the inning, Bulldog hitter Chandler Lacy drove in Whitlock to give his team the first lead of the game. Lacy would later score on a wild throw to give GMC a 5-3 lead in the inning. In the sixth the Bulldogs tacked on more runs after several players loaded the bases on walks. Putnam County’s pitching struggled in the inning as GMC added run after run to secure the win. “I think we have a lot of work to do but we have good potential. I think we’ll have a good ball club here,” said Mosley after the game. GMC Prep head coach Garry Couch was happy that his team secured their third victory of the season but said they will need to be much better before their Region 7-A schedule begins Friday versus Washington-Wilkes. “We are really young. We have one senior and three juniors. We just have to learn how to play together and make routine plays,” he said. “We are not a good ball club yet but we are going to continue to work to get better.” Mosley and Baugh each batted 1 for 3 with a homerun and one RBI. Whitlock finished 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Lacy finished 2 for 2 with an RBI. Hunter Harding and Donovan Haslam each ended the day with a hit. The GMC Prep Bulldogs (3-0) will next face Monticello at home Thursday at 5 p.m.