Bulloch Academy scored 11 runs in the third inning to break open a tight game and walk away with a 14-4 victory over Westminster of Augusta in GISA Region 4-AAA play Thursday.
    The Gators (6-3 overall and 2-2 in region play) opened up a nine-game homestand by blasting WSA pitching for 13 hits in the run-rule win.
    “We needed a little offense, considering our last couple of games,” BA head coach Chris Bishop said with a grin. “We hit a couple of balls hard in the first two innings and I felt like if we did that enough, then we would break the dam, so to speak, and that’s what happened.”
    Trailing 2-1 going into the bottom of the third, Bulloch batters got their timing against WSA starter Shayne Rimer. Fifteen BA batters came to the plate and collected seven hits, three of them doubles, and took advantage of three Wildcat errors.
    The Gators got good play calling from Bishop with a squeeze bunt and a hit-and-run and ran the bases aggressively.
    Senior Jarret Humphries led Bulloch, going 4-for-4 with three RBI on the afternoon. Sophomore Joshua Bishop went 2-for-2 with a walk, senior Harrison Averitt was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a free pass and junior Hobby Mills was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
    Bishop started senior Loy Waters on the mound and the converted second-baseman responded.
    “We needed a lot of strikes and that’s what Loy gave us,” said Bishop. “He did a great job.”
    Waters pitched 4 1/3 innings, fanning eight batters, walking four and giving up four hits. Senior Will Lawson came on for his classmate in the bottom of the fifth and threw one pitch as the Gator defense turned an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
    “It was good to see Will come in and throw that one pitch for the double-play ball,” said Bishop.
    Lawson also performed on offense as he drove in the game-ending run in the bottom of the fifth.
    Bulloch hosts Brentwood Saturday at noon in a non-region matchup and gets back into region play Tuesday afternoon when the Pinewood Patriots come to call.