Belgreen sweeps Vina in county baseball battle

The Belgreen Bulldogs and Vina Red Devils battled each other hard in a two–game series this past week, with Belgreen coming out on top in both games, 9-7 and 9-8.

The hard–fought contest saw some solid hitting and gutsy pitching performances.

In game one of the series Tuesday, Belgreen built up a big lead and held off a Vina comeback to get the 9-7 win.

The Bulldogs led 4-1 after two innings and extended their lead to 7-1 after five innings. The Red Devils cut the lead to 7-4 in the sixth before Belgreen answered with two in the top of the seventh. Vina scored three more runs in the bottom half of the seventh but ran out of steam.

Will King led Belgreen, going 3-for-5 and scoring three runs. Alex Guidry went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Landon Cox had a hit and two RBIs and scored three times. Caige Smith doubled in a run and scored.

Ty Hamilton and Manny Gonzalez both singled in runs.

Smith and Guidry were on the mound for Belgreen. Smith went six innings and gave up four runs on four hits and struck out eight. Guidry came in the last inning and gave up three runs and three hits.

In game two Thursday, Belgreen built up a 7-1 lead after two innings – but Vina, once again, didn’t give up and battled back, only to come up just short, 9-8.

The Red Devils scored three in the third and two in the fourth to cut the Bulldog lead to 7-6. Belgreen responded with two in the bottom of the fourth. Vina added two more in the top of the seventh.

Guidry had two hits and two RBIs and scored two runs. Smith doubled in two runs and scored. Cox had two hits and an RBI and scored. King scored twice.

The Bulldogs also got runs from Hamilton, Rush Berryman and Hunter Woodruff.

Cox pitched the first four innings for Belgreen, with Guidry closing the game out. They combined to strike out 12 batters and give up seven hits.

Vina’s Conner Davidson had two hits, including a double, and scored three times.