The Gallatin High baseball team hoped for a better start to District 9-AAA play.
Visiting Lebanon sent the Green Wave to its second consecutive loss in league competition on Wednesday afternoon, a 5-1 setback at David Alexander Field.
Lebanon junior starting pitcher Daniel Holmes retired the first 10 Green Wave hitters before freshman Brady Harris reached base on a fourth-inning error.
Gallatin High freshman shortstop Brady Harris attempts to tag Lebanon sophomore Jonathan Presley during fourth-inning action.
“Lebanon’s baseball team found gaps, and we didn’t,” Gallatin head coach Mark Wilson said. “We hit the ball at people, and it didn’t fall in. Sooner or later, you’ve got to believe that those do.”
Junior Jordan Mason collected two of Gallatin’s three hits, singles in the fifth and seventh innings. Mason also stole two bases, but was unable to make it three as he was thrown out trying to take third base to end the fifth inning.
“(Mason) is hitting it well,” Wilson said. “We’ve got other guys that are swinging good bats. It’s just a matter of getting the hits to fall.”
Gallatin High senior Carlos Hernandez fields a ball in rightfield during fourth-inning action.
Junior Austin McWhirter suffered the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits with three bases on balls over six innings. McWhirter recorded three strikeouts.
Senior Billy Campbell threw a scoreless inning of relief, and Campbell drove in junior Dee’Andre Brown with a sixth-inning triple.
“Austin threw a solid game,” Wilson said. “That’s what you want. You just want to be able to offensively help a pitcher out, and we didn’t do that until it was too late.”
Sophomore Jonathan Presley picked up two hits and drove in two runs for Lebanon (7-3 overall, 1-0 in District 9-AAA). Seniors Brady Estes and Matt Bell, along with junior Dalton Squires, also had two hits for Lebanon.
Gallatin High junior catcher Bailey Russell receives a throw at home plate as Lebanon junior Dalton Squires attempts to score during second-inning action.
Gallatin (7-3, 0-2) opened district play with a 10-0 loss to Mt. Juliet on Tuesday evening.
The Green Wave return to 9-AAA competition on Tuesday with a game at Station Camp.
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.
Lebanon 011 102 0 – 5 9 3
Gallatin 000 001 0 – 1 3 2
Daniel Holmes and Chase Andrews; Austin McWhirter, Billy Campbell (7) and Bailey Russell WP – Holmes. LP – McWhirter. Records: Lebanon 7-3 overall, 1-0 in District 9-AAA; Gallatin 7-3, 0-2.