Hoots Win The West; Sweep Astros In Saturday Doubleheader

The Columbus Chatt-A-Hoots clinched the SBL West in a doubleheader sweep over the Gwinnett Astros on Saturday, July 23rd. The Hoots won Game 1 of the doubleheader 10-6, then won Game 2 9-0. The Hoots improved to 16-10, while Gwinnett fell to 10-15. 

Game 1

Columbus was the road team in Game 1 since it was a makeup game of a previous Gwinnett home game.

It was a very quick start in the top of the 1st for the Hoots. Zane Ross led the game off with a walk. Bryce Newman then doubled with Ross reaching 3rd. After a strikeout, Ellis Yohn was intentionally walked to load the bases (and to try to set up a double play). After another strikeout, Britt Netterville picked up a big 2-RBI single to make it early 2-0 Hoots lead.

Gwinnett would respond right back in the bottom of the 1st however. Braxton Meguiar and Elgin Bennett drew back-to-back walks to start the inning. They then advanced to 2nd and 3rd on a Fielder’s choice. Columbus was able to stop the run scoring initially as they retired Meguiar at the plate on the next ball in play. Bennett would come in to score shortly after on a passed ball. Devin Warner was then singled in by Noah Barton to tie the game up at 2-2.

Columbus added 2 more runs in the top of the 4th to get back in front on a homer from Simms Owens. Nico Senese walked to get on, and then Owens hit the homer out to right field to put the Hoots back up 4-2. 

The Astros would again get another run back in the bottom of the 4th. Warner led off the inning with a single. He then worked his way over to 3rd on a passed ball. He then scored off the bat of Danny DeSousa, even though DeSouza was retired at first on the play, to trim the lead to 4-3. 

Columbus got another run in the top of the 5th. Cam Gray got the inning started with a single. He then came all the way around to score on an RBI double by Ellis Yohn. 

Gwinnett then took the lead with a big bottom of the 5th. Michael Convery led off the inning with a single. He was driven in by a RBI-double from Meguiar. Michael MaGinnis then singled in Meguiar (MaGinnis advanced to 2nd on the throw) to tie the game up at 5. Then came the go-ahead run for the Astros as Warner drove in MaGinnis with a RBI-double to put Gwinnett up 6-5.

Then came the huge top of the 6th for the Hoots as they plated 4 runs. Netterville, Senese, and Owens all picked up walks to load the bases with 1 out. Cooper Krause then singled in Netterville to tie the game up. Ross then drove in Senese with an RBI groundout to put Columbus up 7-6. Then Bryce Newman picked up a big 2 RBI-double to score Owens and Krause to put the Hoots up 9-6. 

Yohn then tacked on a run with a rocket of a solo homer in the top of the 7th to put the Hoots up by the ultimately final 10-6. 

Gavin Blair picked up the win in Game 1 as he went 2 2/3 innings, allowing 3 runs. Trevor Horne then shut the game out with 2 shutout innings and 5 strikeouts.

Game 2

Britt Netterville picked up the big hit early in game 2 with a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 2nd.. Jesse Donohoe started things off with a walk. Netterville then stepped in and put the Hoots up 2-0 with a home run to left field. 

It was a massive bottom of the 4th for the Hoots as they scored 6 runs to blow the game open. Gray led off the inning with a single, then Yohn drew a walk. Donohoe then advanced them on a groundout. Netterville was then intentionally walked to load the bases. Senese then drove in a run with a RBI walk to make it 3-0. Owens then reached on an error by the Astros 2nd baseman which allowed Yohn to score to make it 4-0. Then Jonathan Manibusan reached on another error (by the 3rd baseman) which allowed Netterville to score to make it 5-0. Krause then picked up a dagger of a 2-RBI single to score Senese and Owens make it 7-0. Then Ross reached on a fielder’s choice which drove in Manibusan to put the lead at 8-0. 

Another run was added in the bottom of the 5th to put the score at 9-0. Newman singled, was then moved over to 3rd by a Gray double. Yohn then drove in Newman with a RBI groundout to put the score at the ultimately final 9-0.

Nick Morgan was dominant on the mound for the Hoots in Game 2. He pitched 5 shutout innings, while allowing just 3 hits. He picked up the win.

At the plate for the doubleheader, Bryce Newman went 3/7 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Ellis Yohn went 2/5 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. Simms Owens went 2/4 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored. Britt Netterville went 2/5 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored. 

Columbus will next be in action on Monday, July 25th as they host the Choccolocco Monsters with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 Eastern.