Thirteen was a lucky number for Bulloch Academy’s Taylor Burke Thursday.

          The senior left-hander struck out 13 Robert Toombs batters as the Gators pounded the Crusaders 11-2 in a crucial GISA Region 2-AA contest.

          “Taylor pitched a heck of a game,” said BA assistant coach Chad Huffman. “He was staying around the plate the whole time. Coach (Brian) Bush did a good job calling pitches.”

          Burke allowed just two hits through seven innings and gave up one earned run. But he also gave the Gator faithful and coaching staff a scare.

          With one out and a runner on second in the first inning, Justin Brinson hit a hopper back to the mound. The Gator ace snagged it and wheeled around to drive the runner back to second. When he turned to make the throw to first, he stumbled, fell to the grass and lay there motionless.

          “My heart dropped for a half second because you never know,” said Huffman.

          But Burke hopped back up, walked around the mound, took a practice throw and was able to continue.

          “Taylor knew it was a region game,” said BA assistant coach Brian Bush. “He is a true competitor.”

          “Unless the bone was sticking out of his leg, he was going to play,” said Huffman. “That’s just the way he is.”

          Bulloch (6-6 overall and 5-2 in region play) collected nine hits off Crusader pitching. Junior Win Lee was 4-for-4 with a two-run homer, two doubles and four RBI.
          “Win did a heck of a job, not only at the plate but on the base paths,” said Huffman. “He kept his head up and twice turned a single into a double. We’ve been working on base running, and it’s good to see it paying off.”

          RTCA (8-8, 3-3) scored in the first when Colby Calhoun drew Burke’s only walk of the game and stole second. He went to third on Brinson’s shot back to the mound and scored on Will Johnson’s double to the fence.

          Bulloch knotted the contest in the bottom of the inning.

          Freshman Loy Waters singled up the middle off RTCA starter Brinson, took second on Burke’s sacrifice bunt, went to third on Lee’s single over short and scored on senior Matthew Sapp’s groundout.

          The Gators added another run in the second and two in the third for a 4-1 lead.

          In the second, senior Brian Atkinson singled, advanced on a junior Walker Blitch’s groundout and scored from second on a throwing error to first.

          In the fourth, Burke drew a walk and freshman Harrison Averitt courtesy ran for him. But Averitt just had to trot around the bases when Lee lifted a home run over the CMR Properties sign in right field.

          The Crusaders got one back in the fourth on a hit and an error but the Gators scored six in the bottom of the inning for a 10-2 lead. BA only had two hits as RTCA committed three errors, walked two batters and hit another.

          Bulloch added its final run in the bottom of the sixth. Lee doubled and advanced to third when Sapp drew his second walk of the game and sophomore Hunter Jacobs was hit by a pitch. Freshman Chandler Maxwell lofted a sacrifice to left to score Lee.

          “I’m glad we were able to get a lot of younger guys in the game,” said Huffman. “At least giving them an at-bat. I felt our guys did a good job of being patient at the plate. Sometimes we’d get down in the count but battle back. We’ve worked hard on two-strike hitting. We want to either get a hit or a walk.”

          The Gators have two big region games next week as they host Frederica Tuesday and Edmund Burke Friday.