Graves powers Gators to 3-0 win against Raiders

Published 11:19 am Wednesday, April 2, 2025

By Jeff Nations

Rylan Graves lost twice, but still came up the big winner Tuesday night.

Greenwood’s senior designated hitter faced Warren East starting pitcher Brenden Bratcher three times – twice Bratcher struck him out, the first and last time the squared off.

That middle at-bat, though, was the difference in the game as Graves’ three-run home run provided the only runs in the Gators’ 3-0 victory.

Email newsletter signup

Graves wasted no time his second time around against Bratcher, a right-hander who plans to play at Lindsey Wilson next season. Graves turned on a first-pitch fastball and sent a towering drive into the wind over the right-field wall for his first career high school home run.

“I felt really good sitting first-pitch fastball, which is pretty much what I always do,” Graves said. “I was really feeling the inside pitch and I just got it.”

Graves’ home run was the only successful scoring effort on a day when both teams provided plenty of traffic on the base paths but had little to show for it on the scoreboard.

Greenwood (8-1) stranded eight base runners in the win, while it was even worse for Warren East (3-5). The Raiders left 10 base runners on in the loss.

“When it came time to put the ball in play to try and get us a big hit, we just couldn’t get the job done tonight,” Warren East coach Wes Sanford said. “Our pitchers threw well. One swing of the bat was the difference in the game. We might have played all night long. I don’t think either one of us are happy with the way we played offensively, most likely.”

The Gators did enough to earn their third straight win even with that limited offensive success, which included leaving the bases loaded in the top of the second inning without scoring a run when Bratcher got an inning-ending strikeout.

“Not very good at the plate,” Greenwood coach Jason Jaggers said. “We had some decent hits, but we didn’t capitalize. Way too many strikeouts — credit their pitching staff. I thought they did a great job throwing strikes, only walked one guy and kept us off balance. We’ve got to be better at the plate, though.”

East had a chance to do some early damage when Gators starting pitcher Zach Davis walked the first three batters he faced in the bottom of the first. Bratcher, the leadoff hitter, was caught stealing for the first out or it may have been a bases-loaded, no-out situation. Instead, Davis escaped the one-out, two-on jam with a strikeout followed by a lineout.

Davis allowed back-to-back singles to the Raiders’ Carter Bessette and Brooks Vincent in the bottom of the second, then intentionally walked Bratcher to load the bases and set up a force out at home — Davis didn’t need it, getting an inning-ending strikeout instead.

Graves broke the stalemate in the third with a two-out rally. Chaze Huff was hit by a pitch and Henry Justice followed with a single to left to bring up Graves.

“He’s been swinging it really well all year long,” Jaggers said of Graves. “His average doesn’t show it, but he’s had a lot of loud outs this year and some of those are finally starting to find a hole. We’ve got a lot of confidence in Ryland and we see that every day.”

Davis pitched one more inning before giving way to Jackson Lee, who struck out five batters over the final three innings while just two hits and a walk to earn the save.

“I was really feeling it,” Lee said. “I was throwing the fastball away to batters well and then even throwing my curveball away from batters. Everything felt good tonight for me overall.”

Justice led the Gators with a 2-for-3 day that included a double, and Huff reached base three times.

Will Alexander went 2-for-3 with a double, and Bessette also went 2-for-3 for East.

Bratcher pitched five innings and took the loss for the Raiders. He struck out eight — East fanned 12 Gators in all.

Greenwood was slated to host Hilliard Darby (Ohio) on Wednesday, while Warren East travels to Butler County on Thursday.

GHS 003 000 0 — 3 6 2

WEHS 000 000 0 — 0 4 2

WP: Davis. LP: Bratcher. SV: Lee.

Sports Editor, Bowling Green Daily News

email author More by Jeff

More Sports

Lady Toppers headed to Lexington for NCAA Regional

Grasshoppers deal 6-1 loss to Hot Rods

Higgins, Hartman named to midseason watch list

SLIDE SHOW: Hot Rods drop home game to Grasshoppers

Print Article