Rodney Hennon and Brett Lewis have watched their sons Carter and Jax grow up together. Monday night they got to watch their sons battle it out on the mound as Bulloch Academy and Pinewood played at J.I. Cements stadium.
Hennon has been the Georgia Southern baseball coach since 2000 and not only coached Lewis, but Lewis was also his pitching coach for a number of years before taking over the reins at Pinewood.
Hennon was able to watch his older son Walker play at J.I. Clements his sophomore season and was excited to be able to watch his youngest son Carter play there Monday.
“It feels kind of strange,” Hennon said. “I remember Jax and Carter being little kids and playing around out here when they were little and to be able to see them develop a friendship and be out here going up against each other is pretty neat. I have to admit I was a little more nervous out here tonight than I have been in pretty much any game I have coached here. It was a great ballgame and great pitching on both sides and a great environment out here.”
The Bulloch Academy baseball team has not won a region title since 1983. This week the Gators got one step closer to a title as they beat Pinewood twice, including an exciting 4-3 victory Monday night at J.I. Clements stadium with Hennon actually delivering the walk-off hit.
Tied at 3-3 the Gators loaded the bases with one out. Last week Bulloch Academy coach Kevin Nix had Hennon squeeze bunt against Frederica and he was successful. With the game on the line Nix decided to try it again and Hennon delivered a perfect but down the third base line which brought home the winning run as the Gator fans erupted in celebration.
“We have done this a few times in the last week or so and I knew Carter would be able to put the bunt down,” said Nix. “Jax Lewis is a heck of a pitcher and he could have run through the next two hitters even though they are both good, but I trusted Carter to get in down and he came through for us.”
Carter Hennon pitched well on the mound and enjoyed battling against his old friend, but was pleased his coach had confidence in him at the plate as well.
“It was really cool to be able to play out here first of all especially with Jax too,” said Hennon. “We both grew up learning to play the game here and to be able to do this as a senior was special. I felt good on the mound and then when coach Nix asked me to bunt, I knew I could come through. We practice bunting every day at practice and it paid off.”
Hennon ended up going seven innings, allowing only five hits and three earned runs while striking out 10. Lewis went the distance giving up seven hits and four runs with nine strikeouts. Afterwards he was disappointed by the loss but happy for the chance to play where his father coached and played, and he spent so much time as a child.
“It was a great experience being able to pitch at the place my dad pitched, there’s no other feeling like it,” said Lewis. “Me and Carter have been talking trash because we knew we’d be going up against each other, but it’s all fun and he ended up winning this one today.”
Losing the game was tough for Pinewood coach Brett Lewis, but that feeling was softened when Lewis thought about the bond between his son Jax and coach Hennon’s son Carter.
“It was a great opportunity for him and for Carter to be able to pitch in this place in this environment,” said Lewis. “Both of them will get a chance to continue to pitch in college but it was cool to see them battling tonight. Being out here brings back a lot of great memories of playing in college, but I am also just proud that Jax and Carter have been able to remain such good friends for so many years. They really help push each other and work together a lot in the off season so to see them out there was special.”
The Gators improve to 16-2 overall and 8-0 in region play. The two teams are scheduled to play again Friday at 6:00 at Bulloch Academy. A win for the Gators would officially clinch the region title.
