Sweet Water hangs 10 on Shades Mountain for 15th win

Sweet Water hit the baseball early and often Wednesday as it capped its Gulf Coast Classic trip with a 10-6 victory over Shades Mountain Christian.

Braiden Broussard’s one-out single in the bottom of the first was the first of 16 Bulldog hits on the day and it ignited a four-run rally. After a Will Huckabee walk, Jonah Smith singled home Broussard for the 1-0 lead. Hunter Mendenhall then doubled in Huckabee and Smith for the 3-0 advantage. Chastain Washington later doubled in courtesy runner R.J. Rodgers to put the Bulldogs up 4-0.

Shades Mountain sent nine to plate in the top of the third and used three hits to score four runs to tie the game. Undaunted, Sweet Water got its bats back to work in the bottom of the frame. Smith singled before John Thomas Etheridge hit a one-out double to put Sweet Water back on top 5-4. Washington followed with a triple to score Etheridge. Luke Davis doubled home Washington to make it 7-4. Back-to-back doubles from Chase Joiner and Huckabee in the bottom of the fourth moved the Sweet Water lead to 8-4.

Sweet Water poured it on more in the bottom of the sixth as Sasha Smith singled and later scored on a steal of home. Huckabee doubled and scored on an error to cap the Bulldog scoring.

Sweet Water (15-5) used four pitchers in the effort with Broussard throwing two innings of no-hit, shutout ball and striking five to pick up the win. The Bulldogs are set to return to Class 1A, Area 1 play Tuesday when they host Millry before traveling to MHS for a double-header Thursday, April 6.