Cane Baseball Opens Home Slate Perfect
Baseball season opened last week for your Monticello Hurricanes, as noted by the sudden drop in temperature that usually accompanies such an event.
The Hurricane bats got off to a cold start as well in the season opener at the Academy for Classical Education (ACE) in Macon. Falling by a score of 10-0, the Hurricanes managed only one hit, a single off the bat of senior catcher Chandler Aguirre in the final inning of the mercy rule shortened game.
The team did a quick u-turn in play Monday though, welcoming the Bulldogs of Georgia Military College Prep to the Hurricane Athletic Complex for the home opener amongst the slightly above frigid temperatures. A large holiday crowd turned out for the President’s Day baseball event, and the fireworks were shot early and often during this one, especially from the bat and right arm of junior Ethan McMichael, as he put GMC down in order during his three innings of work, striking out seven of the nine batters he faced.
McMichael also contributed to the scoring as well during the 15-0, mercy-rule shortened, blowout, going 3/3 at the plate with a single, double, and three-run home run, driving in five total runs for the evening.
Aguirre and sophomore Landon Hicks accounted for the other Hurricane base knocks in the contest. The Hurricanes pushed across their 15 runs courtesy of only five hits, but were moved along the bases with the help of ten walks and three hit batters by Bulldog pitchers, along with five errors in the field. The Hurricanes truly played perfect baseball, as sophomore Nolan Dean came in to pitch the fourth inning and set the Bulldogs down in order on 12 pitches to preserve the shut out, no-hitter, and perfecto.
Coach Brady McMichael commented after the game that “the guys had a choice on how to react to the adversity that they faced after the opening loss at ACE, and they chose to come out and fight. This was a complete game all around in all aspects, from laying down bunts, moving runners over, and also throwing strikes and being efficient on the mound. We’re looking to continue to build on the momentum tomorrow, trying to pick up another win against Jackson.”
The Hurricanes were back in action on Tuesday, welcoming the team from across the river to the Hurricane Athletic Complex, and will be in action this weekend, traveling to Homer to take on a very strong Banks County Leopard team in a doubleheader on Saturday. They will be on the road again Tuesday, traveling to play former region rival Oglethorpe County in a non-region affair.
Come out and cheer on your Diamond Canes as another season unfolds!