Galveston College overcame a pair of one-run deficits with a six-run, seventh-inning rally to hold off Wharton Junior Community College and defeat the Pioneers 10-8 on Wednesday in a South Conference battle at Bernard Davis Field.
Whitecaps pitcher Kade Faulk came on in relief of starter Zachary Fetchel to claim the victory. With the result, GC improved to 20-14 overall and 8-7 in conference competition. The Whitecaps are tied for third place with the Pioneers (21-12, 8-7) in the NJCAA DI Region 14 South Conference, three games behind first-place Blinn College (19-12, 11-4).
“The team didn’t give up and kept pressuring Wharton’s pitching offensively,” said Whitecaps Head Baseball Coach, Brian Reinke. “Zachary threw well and Kade and Dylan kept us in the game. Conference games like this are always tough and I’m proud of the guys for rallying and coming back to win the game.”
GC jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Wharton slowly chipped away at the home team’s advantage. The Pioneers scored two runs in the second to come within a run of the Whitecaps and added another two in the fifth to take a one-run, 4-3 lead.
The Whitecaps knotted the game at 4-all in the bottom half of the inning, but the visitors once again came up with a run at the top of the next frame to retake the lead, 5-4.
It wasn’t until the home half of the seventh inning that GC’s bats unleashed a six-run barrage to rally from behind and take a commanding 10-5 lead over WJCC.
Despite the Whitecaps onslaught, the Pioneers had one last gasp and attempted a rally of their own in the following frame. However, WJCC could only muster three runs and fell short, getting shutdown in the final inning to fall, 10-8.
Whitecaps infielder Jacob Bulcroft went 3-for-5, scored once and drove in one run while left fielder Zachary Daigre went 2-for-4 and brought home a pair of runs.
GC visits Alvin Community College at 1 p.m. on April 2 and returns home for a game against the same ACC squad at 6 p.m. on April 4 at Bernard Davis Field, located at 81st Street and Frank Guisti Drive in Galveston. Games are free and open to the public.
For more information about the Galveston College Whitecaps baseball program, rosters and season schedule, visit https://www.gcwhitecaps.com/landing/index.
ABOUT GALVESTON COLLEGE
Galveston College was founded in 1967 and is a comprehensive community college providing the residents of Galveston Island and the surrounding region with academic, workforce development, continuing education and community service programs.