Sweet Water sweeps Kinston to move to third round
Sasha Smith slides in safely in game one against Kinston
Sweet Water breezed through its second round playoff series Friday night with a sweep of Kinston.
Sweet Water 21, Kinston 0
The Bulldogs turned to Jonah Smith on the hill in game one, getting a dominant performance from the UAB signee. He struck out 10 batters over five innings of work and allowed only one hit and two walks in the contest.
The Bulldogs got the offense going early and scarcely let up in support of Smith.
Jonah Smith allowed one hit in the Bulldogs’ 21-0 game one victory over Kinston
As part of a five-run first inning, Trent Sams singled and scored on a Smith grounder for a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Chance Broussard doubled in Sasha Smith and John Thomas Etheridge. Chance Broussard later stole home while Braiden Broussard plated on a passed ball.
Chastian Washington scored on a passed ball in the second inning. Braiden Broussard then singled in Etheridge and Chance Broussard. The younger Broussard then scored on a passed ball a second time to drive the lead to 9-0. Sasha Smith hit a sacrifice fly to score Reid Joiner before Jonah Smith singled in Xavier Lucy and Sams. Etheridge doubled in Washington to move the lead to 13-0.
Sasha Smith hit a three-run double in the third that drove in Braiden Broussard, Lucy and Shamar Lewis. The Bulldogs piled on in the fourth as Washington doubled in Etheridge, Michael Cole and Braiden Broussard to set the advantage at 19-0.
Sasha Smith singled in Washington before Jonah Smith singled in Lucy to cap the scoring in the fourth.
Sweet Water 8, Kinston 3
The Bulldogs trailed briefly in game two before charging from behind for an 8-3 win. Sasha Smith struck out four over four and a third innings of work while scattering six hits and allowing three earned runs. Chance Broussard got the save, striking out six batters over two and two-thirds scoreless innings of work.
Sweet Water took a 1-0 lead in the first when Sasha Smith singled and gave way to courtesy runner Lucy, who scored on a Jonah Smith double.
Kinston strung together four two-out hits in the top of the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. The deficit was short-lived for the Bulldogs as Sams doubled and later stole home to cut it to 3-2. Etheridge then drove in Sasha Smith with a single to third to tie the game. The Bulldogs took the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Washington singled in Braiden Broussard. Sams then doubled in Washington and Lucy for the 6-3 advantage.
Jonah Smith provided insurance in the bottom of the sixth when he doubled to center to score Joiner and Sams and set the final margin.
Sweet Water (23-9) is set to host Ragland in the quarterfinal round Friday, May 4.