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BA bulls past Matadors
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Bulloch Academy’s Taylor Burke fires during BA’s 5-2 win over Memorial Day Friday at Gator Alley. - photo by RAHN HUTCHESON/Special to the Herald
    Junior Michael DeLoach sent a 3-1 pitch sailing into the scrub oaks beyond the left-field fence at Gator Alley Thursday to wake up the Bulloch Academy bats as the Gators downed Memorial Day School 8-2 in GISA Region 2-AA baseball action Friday.
    “That was definitely the turning point in the game,” BA head coach Daryl Evans said of DeLoach’s third-inning bomb. “We were dead up until that point. Their pitcher (Sal Sanchez) had struck out five batters in the first two innings. He kept us off balance and at bay. Then, in the third, we got a couple of things going and DeLoach hits his home run. We never trailed again.”
    BA starter Taylor Burke hurled a one-hitter and allowed just one earned run for his second win of the season. The sophomore lefty had five strikeouts and five walks as he cruised through a complete game, mixing up fast balls and big sweeping curves.
    “Burke threw the ball well,” said Evans.
    Memorial (3-5, 1-1 GISA Region 2-AA) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Stephen Alvarez was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on Gabby Sanchez’s deep, deep sacrifice fly ball to right field.
    Matthew Sapp started off Bulloch’s third with a single to center. The speedy catcher stole second and moved to third when Burke reached on an error. DeLoach came to the plate and hit a towering shot over the left-field wall to put the Gators up 3-1.
    Bulloch (5-3, 2-1 GISA Region 2-AA) pushed another run across in the fourth. Clay Anderson reached on an error but was forced at second on an Ethan Lovett ground ball. The senior center fielder then stole second and hustled home when Sapp’s hot shot to short was booted.
    In the fifth, the Gators went up 5-1. Win Lee singled, advanced on a Jordan Walker fly ball and took third on a Scott Hendley single. The freshman shortstop then scored on another MDS error.
    The Matadors cut the Gator lead to 5-2 in the sixth on a BA error and two walks.
    But Bulloch had a three-run sixth inning to put the game on ice.
    In the inning, Burke, DeLoach and Anderson singled and Hendley, Walker Blitch and Jordan Walker drew walks.
    The Gator defense was sound, making the routine play when having just two errors.
    “We’ve been telling the guys from day one that if we make the routine plays, we will always have a chance to win,” said Evans.
    Bulloch Academy hosts non-region foe Robert Toombs Christian Academy Monday at 4 p.m.