MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — After sweeping the Academy of Richmond County to open region play Wednesday, the Baldwin Braves (7-4 overall, 2-1 region) faced a setback Friday against Thomson High School.

The Bulldogs came into Milledgeville sporting just a 1-7 record overall, but defeated Baldwin 8-2 after the Braves committed eight errors in the field. The lackluster defensive play, coupled with the team not being able to string together enough hits to score until the seventh, cost BHS a region contest.

“We played with heart and character, but we just didn’t execute,” Braves head coach William Emadi said after the loss. “A few defensive plays advanced them, put them on base, and then we didn’t hit until the last inning. We made mistakes on the base paths and it cost us.”

One thing standing in Baldwin’s way at the plate was the pitching performance of Thomson’s Chase Smith. The junior pitched all seven innings and struck out seven batters while only walking two. He also got the benefit of pitching with the lead early on after the Bulldogs struck for one run in the first inning. They crossed the plate following a walk, error, stolen base, and fielders’ choice but left a runner on third as a strikeout ended the threat. 

The Braves looked to return the favor in the second in getting a runner on via a walk, but Smith picked him off to keep momentum going his team’s way. The Thomson pitcher would repeat the act in the third to erase a Baldwin base hit.

The Bulldogs were able to get on the board again in their turn of the third following a pair of singles. Baldwin senior Victor Hill, playing third at the time, helped keep damage to a minimum by making a nice play on a grounder in the hole between third and shortstop. His throw was just in time to keep Thomson at just one run in the frame, but the visitors carried a 2-0 lead after three.

After plating one more in the fourth, the Bulldogs broke the game open in the fifth. Damage would have been kept to a minimum if not for a few mishaps by the BHS defense. What should have been a no-run or one-run inning became three after routine ground balls got through the infield. Thomson got a couple more runs across in the seventh to get to their game total of eight runs. 

Baldwin finally began hitting the ball in its half of the seventh with a trio of infield hits spread throughout the inning. Two runners crossed the plate, but a fly out with two more on ended the threat and the region matchup.

One bright spot for the Braves was junior Donte Justice, who was fresh off the basketball court. He played in Wednesday’s doubleheader at ARC, but saw his first action on the mound Friday. Justice started and pitched three innings giving up only three hits and one earned run. Emadi called the junior’s performance “fantastic” as he mixed in a well-controlled curveball that helped him strike out four batters. 

Emadi added afterward that things don’t get any easier for his team this week.

“Burke was the odds-on favorite to win the region,” he said. “They’re going to be a tough game on Tuesday. Hephzibah has become a rivalry and we have them Friday and then we play John Milledge Saturday. It’s going to be a tough week.”

The Braves travel to Burke County Tuesday to continue Region 3-4A play. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. in Waynesboro.