Gainesville Bulldogs are 2024 fall Summit Conference champions
photo by Karla Smith The Gainesville High School Bulldogs baseball team is pictured here after taking the 2024 Fall Summit Conference championship will last week. Pictured, from left, are: back row: Coach Austin Thompson, Cutter Morrison, Brayden Miller, Lyle Pippin, Hunter Luna, Owen Donley, Grant Leeker, Dawson Hewett and Coach Blake Hobbs. Front row: Avery Rodrigue, Haden Evans, Keaton Dabney, Kaden Hubbard, Chase Luna, Aden Gaulding, Kolby Anderson, Zairean Rodrigue, Keegan Crouse and Joey Baker.
The Bulldogs baseball boys ended a fierce fall season last week with big smiles on their faces and the coveted 2024 fall Summit Conference championship plaque in hand.
The team’s 15-1 record also earned the team the distinction of being the best winning percentage group to hit the Gainesville ballfield since Head Coach Blake Hobbs came to Gainesville.
If the fall season is a preview of what’s to expect from the team in the spring, Gainesville Bulldogs fans have a lot to cheer about.
“The boys played really well this fall. We had a good record, but I personally believe we didn’t come close to our potential. I’m excited to see what the spring holds,” Hobbs told the Times. We have to say, we are too.
Summit conference win
The Bulldogs entered the summit conference tournament Oct. 7, in a face-off against Seymour. The boys took the contest 20-5, advancing them to the semi-finals the next night against Conway. The Bears put up a good fight, but the Bulldogs came out on top again with a 7-4 lead at game end.
Meanwhile, Hartville, the team Gainesville faced in the Oct. 10 championship game, had made its own way to the top of the bracket, taking a 4-2 win against Sparta and a 7-3 win against Norwood.
The Gainesville Bulldogs and Hartville Eagles each came into the championship game, each sporting 14-1 season records.
GHS senior Hunter Luna was strong on the mound, pitching seven innings, striking out six batters and only allowing one run. He was 3-4 at the plate and had 3 RBIs.
Grant Leeker was 1-3 in batting with two runs scored, and Dawson Hewett was 1-4 at bat with 2 RBIs.
The Bulldogs took a strong lead and held it throughout the game, winning the championship game 8-1.
Season end stats
Hobbs said there were a few standout players this season.
Dawson Hewett had a .426 batting average, 23 hits, 19 RBIs, 5-0 record, 2 saves and a .609 earned run average.
Grant Leeker had a .377 batting average, 2 home runs, 8 two-base hits, 2 three-base hits, 18 RBIs, was 3-0, had 48 strike outs and a .840 earned run average.
Hunter Luna had a .372 batting average, 7 two-base hits, 18 runs scored, 9 hit by pitches, was 4-1, with 48 strike outs and a .649 earned run average.