Hoots Reverse The Scoreline on Bucks; Split Weekend Series With Bucks

Columbus, GA - The Columbus Chatt-A-Hoots picked up a come from behind victory on Saturday night with a 5-3 win over the Brookhaven Bucks. The win came after a nearly hour and a half rain delay before the game started. Rain came into the area to delay the start by 88 minutes which led to the game being shortened to 7 innings. 

It was a fast start for Brookhaven as they jumped out ahead in the top of the 1st with 3 runs. Columbus starter Gavin Blair got 2 outs quickly (even though Jack Poist got an infield single, he was out at 2nd trying to advance). However, from there Brookhaven got going. Jack Herring doubled, and then he was doubled in by Jack Rubenstein to make it 1-0. Kyle Carlson followed that up with an RBI single to score Rubenstein to make it 2-0. Wade Richardson kept the hits rolling as he picked up the 4th straight hit with a single. Carlson would eventually come around to score on a Wild Pitch to give the Bucks that 3-0 lead. 

For the 2nd day in a row, the bottom of the 3rd was a big half-inning for the Hoots. Bryce Newman led off the inning with a single to kick-start the offense. Zane Ross followed that up with a walk. Simms Owens would get Columbus on the board as he drove in Newman with an RBI-single. Cam Gray then drove a ball deep into right field, but it was caught up against the wall. It would however score Ross on a sac-fly to trim the Bucks lead to 3-2. 

Columbus drew even in the 5th. After 2 quick outs, Win Johns and Gray drew back-to-back walks to get runners on to start. Jesse Donohoe then drove in Johns with an RBI-single to make it 3-3.

Columbus then took the lead in the bottom of the 6th inning. Jonathan Manibusan walked to reach early, then Nico Senese reached on an error by the shortstop to put 2 men on with 1 out. After a Bryce Newman sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to 2nd and 3rd, Ross drew a walk to load the bases. Then came the big go-ahead hit from Simms Owens. Owens looped a single out into center field to score Manibusan and Senese to put Columbus ahead by the ultimately final 5-3. 

Gavin McBride came in serving as the closer to pitch in the top of the 7th. He moved quickly through the Bucks’ lineup for a 3-up 3-down top of the 7th to secure the win for the Hoots and the save for McBride. 

The Hoots bullpen came up big in relief. The quartet of Logan Seehafer, Ryan Middleton, Trey Sanders, and McBride threw 4 innings in relief without giving up any runs with 6 strikeouts while spacing out just 2 hits and 2 walks. 

Owens had the big day at the plate, not just with the late go-ahead hit. Overall he went 2/3 with 3 RBI and a walk. 

Columbus will be back in action following the 4th of July holiday on Tuesday on the road against the Atlanta Crackers on the road. The next home game will be next Saturday, July 9th, at 7:05 against the Choccolocco Monsters.