MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — It was the battle of Milledgeville — two local teams going head-to-head for bragging rights. And, until next year at least, that privilege goes to the boys at Georgia Military College Prep School, who rode two big innings to a 11-6 victory, out-hitting the Braves 14-3 at Baldwin High School Tuesday night.

“They all know each other, they all play ball with each other all summer long, so it gives them a little chance to brag,” GMC coach Steven Simpson said.

From the start, the game was competitive. The Bulldogs threatened in the first, but Jordan Rouse pitched out of a bases loaded situation, giving Baldwin the chance to score first. They did.

Victor Hill got things going with a one-out RBI single off of Bulldogs pitcher Cory Bivins, advancing to second on the throw home, and then to third on a Rouse ground out. Several pitches in to a C.J. Hurst at-bat, Hill pulled out all stops, scoring after taking off for home as GMC catcher Colton Settle lobbed the ball back to Bivins. Bivins fired the ball back to Settle, but Hill slid in just ahead of the tag.

Baldwin’s 2-0 lead would not last long, though. Justin Alford, Ryan Barsby, Zach Spiler and Settle all had hits in the second, as the Bulldogs took advantage of a walk and two errors to rack up six runs.

The game still wasn’t out of reach for the Braves, who manufactured a three-run third inning to make the score 6-5. Donte Justice stole second and third after drawing a walk, and Jordan Rouse had a two-out RBI single. Rouse and C.J. Hurst, who was hit by a pitch, both scored after a botched ground out by GMC.

But the Bulldogs had an answer yet again as their bats came alive in the fourth. Dustin Hostetter led off with a line drive single and a stolen base, Spiler brought him home with a triple to left-center and Nathan Alford kept things going with an RBI hit. Two outs later, Justin Alford sent Alford across the plate with yet another single. The inning gave GMC four more runs and the lead for good.

Alford came in to relieve Settle in the bottom of the inning and for the Braves, Hunter Davis took the hill replacing Jordan Rouse in the fifth.

After a quiet inning-and-a-half, Hurst found a way to score in the bottom of the sixth, after his second hit-by-pitch. Dylan Sallad got the RBI ground out to second. The Bulldogs plated one more run when Cody McCrary hit an RBI single in the seventh, and the Braves were unable to manufacture any offense in their last chance at bat. The Bulldogs retired three straight batters to end the game up 11-6.

Alford picked up the win for the Bulldogs, striking out four batters in relief of Bivins. Alford pitched four nearly-perfect innings, surrendering no hits and allowing just one batter, Hurst in the sixth, to reach. Jordan Rouse was handed the loss.

“It started out a little slow… Baldwin took the lead on us. I’m proud of our kids for battling back, coming back and scoring six runs in the next inning,” Simpson said. “Baldwin’s a much improved baseball team … it’s great competition.”

Baldwin coach William Emadi said the loss was due to failing to execute for the entirety of the game. The Braves committed five errors on the night.

“We had two innings where we kind of just fell apart … they took full advantage the second inning and the fourth inning,” Emadi said, adding that his team needs to play fundamentally-sound baseball. “We’re going to continue drilling the basics … we execute those things and we can play with anyone. I truly believe that.”

The Braves fall to 7-4-2, and with the win, GMC improves to 6-4. Baldwin travels to take on Putnam County 5:30 p.m. Friday.