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Greenbrier doubles up on Devils
SHS Baseball
Statesboro High pitcher Brian Deal, top, waits on a throw from catcher Landon Yates after a wild pitch as Greenbrier's Jamie Daly slides safely into home during the fourth inning on Tuesday, April 18. - photo by SCOTT BRYANT/staff

The Statesboro Blue Devil baseball team was two outs from clinching the second spot in the region and hosting a state playoff game. Up 6-3 in the top of the seventh with one out the wheels came off for the Blue Devils as Greenbrier scored eight runs and took an 11-6 lead. The Blue Devils scored three in the bottom of the seventh but it wasn’t enough as they lost 11-9 in the second game of a doubleheader. 


The Blue Devils came into the three-game series needing to only win one game to clinch second place in the region. Things looked bad as they lost the first game of Tuesday night’s doubleheader 11-1. Trailing 3-0 in the second game, Statesboro stormed back to take a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a bases loaded double by Mathis Lanier, which cleared the bases. 


With one out in the top of the seventh a series of walks, hits and a few Statesboro miscues led to Greenbrier scoring eight runs. The big blow came on a bases loaded triple to right center by Bryson Bell. A throwing error allowed Bell to come all the way in to score as the Wolfpack opened an 11-6 lead. 


Statesboro was able to battle back for three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but that is as close as things would get leaving the Blue Devils in a must-win situation Thursday as they travel to Greenbrier to close out the season. 


“We just struggled to throw strikes in both games tonight,” said coach Chris Bishop. “In game two it really came back to bite us. The big thing is Greenbrier has been in these situations and came out on top. We are still haven’t really played in that type of environment often enough. The more you do it, the more you learn and hopefully this was a learning experience for us.” 


Statesboro was led offensively by Lanier with three hits and four RBIs. Aubrey Smith added a pair of hits and Nathan Newkirk had two RBIs. The Blue Devils had nine walks in the second game, and two errors. Greenbrier only had five hits in the game, while Statesboro had nine. 


“We really have to regroup,” said Bishop. I think it is more mental than anything. We still have a chance and it will all be about whether our guys are able to put this loss behind them and focus on just winning one game Thursday night. 


Statesboro and Greenbrier are scheduled for a 5:00 game Thursday at Greenbrier.