Prep Baseball Report

Bozeman Blanks Franklin County


C.J. Butts
PBR Florida



PANAMA CITY, FL
- In the second game of the 1A District 4 tournament, top seed and No. 1 team in 1A, Bozeman, hosted the 4th seeded Franklin County Seahawks. RHP Kyle Gilmore got the nod for the third consecutive game against the Seahawks but lasted just 2 innings before junior righty Tyler Lee replaced him. Senior RHP Chris Newell got the start for Franklin County.

Bozeman led off the game with 3 straight hits as catcher Kyle McCann (uncommitted) drove in Brock Langlotz to open up the scoring. Newell (FB 81-83 CB 69-73) would settle down and get out of the inning allowing just the one run. Franklin County threatened in the top of the second as a leadoff single followed by an error set them up with first and second with no out. A timely double play and strikeout by Gilmore ended the threat to keep the score 1-0

The 3rd inning was more of the same. A walk, single by Micah McLeod (Central Alabama), and misplayed bunt set up the Seahawks with a perfect scoring opportunity for the second consecutive inning. As Lee relieved Gilmore for Bozeman, Chris Newell stepped up to the plate looking to help out his own cause and give his team the lead. A scorched liner looked to do just that but the right fielder snagged it and fired to second to double off the runner. A pop up to second would end the threat completely and once again, Bozeman would come out unscathed. 

One inning later with the score still 1-0, Bozeman finally caught life. After back to back errors loaded the bases with no outs, the Bucks got a sac fly, an RBI double by FAU commit Cade Parker, and another error to push their lead to a much more comfortable 4-0. 

Franklin County would mount one more threat in the 5th and one more time Bozeman would erase the threat as the Seahawks stranded 2 more runners. Lee would retire the final 6 batters he faced to close out a 5-0 win and force a rematch of last years District 3 Championship game with defending 1A state champs, Port St. Joe.