Wildcats Cruise Past Douglass, 16-1

The weather was perfect for baseball- 80 degrees and sunny with a mild breeze.

Unfortunately, the teams and the fans couldn’t soak up all the sunshine as Friday’s contest between visiting Douglass and Dunwoody had to be cut short after the Wildcats posted 16 runs on 12 hits with 10 walks in a three-inning  16-1 mercy-rule victory.

Dunwoody sent 17 men to the plate in the first inning and came away with 12 runs, including a deep shot over the right-field fence by junior catcher Jared Martin. On the mound, James Farnell used a steady fastball, a hard-breaking curve, and a deceptive pick-off move to keep the Douglass players off balance. The 6-foot, 3-inch junior lefty pitched all three innings to collect the win.

It was a different story for Farnell’s counterpart.

Astros starting pitcher Tim Nelson was lifted due to apparent arm trouble after facing only five hitters. Shortstop Trent Francis came on in relief and proceeded to walk the first three batters he faced.  Logan Elliot then singled to drive in two runs and give Dunwoody an early 6-0 lead.

After batting through the lineup, the Wildcats’ top of the order added three more hits, including a triple by third-baseman Jerric Johnson and an RBI double by right fielder Blaine Broth to increase the lead to 9-0.  A series of errors and wild pitches put Dunwoody up 11-0, then with two out and two on, second baseman Stelen Sulberger singled to drive in the twelfth and final run of the inning.

Dunwoody coach Chan English sent Farnell back out to the mound in the second, but he removed every other starter with the exception of shortstop Logan Elliot, who was due to lead off the next inning.  After Farnell held the Astros scoreless in the top of the second, Elliot led off with a base-on-balls. He later came around to score his second run of the game before being replaced by Zach Tonner.

In three innings of work, Farnell yielded three hits and just one walk, while striking out four. Broth was 2-for-2 with a run scored. Among the back-up players’ statistics, Tonner singled and drove in a run, Jonathan Rhoden had a double and Charlie Madden stole two bases.

Dunwoody (6-2) faces a tougher challenge next, when they travel to Coolray Field (Gwinnett Braves Stadium) to face Region 8-AAAAA’s Parkview Panthers at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 19.