Holly Springs showed why many believed they should have been ranked as a top 10 team in the state, as they easily beat Green Hope tonight 8-1. Realistically the game was over in the middle of the 2nd inning, as Holly Springs was up 7-0 and with their ace, Carlos Rodon, on the mound.

Boghosian (left) gave up a leadoff single to Holly Springs' Byrd

Adam Boghosian started for Green Hope, and just didn't have his good stuff tonight. Kyle Byrd started things early with a leadoff single to center, followed by a strikeout, and then a shot over the centerfield wall by Justin Manning, Holly Springs up 2-0 after 1 inning.

Manning's home run made it 2-0 in the 1st, 5 more Holly Springs' runs in the 2nd put the game away early

Boghosian threw 41 pitches in the 1st inning, and to start the 2nd, Holly Springs' Kendall Thrope hit a high fly to short left which fell in for a hit. After a wild pitch and past ball (could have called another wild pitch), Byrd singled again to score the 3rd Holly Springs run, and saw Max Povse come in to pitch. Likewise Povse wasn't sharp, and walked the next batter and Manning singled to score the 4th run. After a wild pitch moved runners to 2nd and 3rd, a grounder to short was fielded by Luca Scelsi who threw home to get the runner for the first out of the inning. But another walk and a double to the gap in left center from AJ Sconzo scored 3 more runs, and had Daniel Sondag in to pitch. Sondag got out of the inning without any more runs scored, but it was Holly Springs up 7-0, and there wasn't much "hope" for Green Hope.

Green Hope can't field an infield roller allowing Holly Springs' Williams a hit who later scored

In the third, Holly Springs added another run as Hayden Williams hit a slow roller towards first which nobody could field for a hit. A wild pickoff throw sent Williams to 3rd, and he scored on a grounder to first. Holly Springs up 8-0 in the third.

Shambley scores Green Hope's only run while Sondag pitched well in relief

Green Hope scored their only run in the bottom of the inning, Grant Shambley singled to right, went to 2nd on a past ball, and scored on Boghosian's single to left. But it was 8-1 Holly Spings after 3 innings.

Holly Springs' Rodon (left) and Mackey (right) limited Green Hope to just 3 singles while striking out 10

That ended the scoring, and both team subbed in the last two innings of play. Rodon was relieved in the 4th by Joe Mackey who gave up no hits and only 2 baserunners in his 4 innings of work. Holly Springs kept hitting, but Sondag was able to pitch out of the innings, and Jonathan Grudee did the same in the last two innings which he pitched. Still Holly Springs had 13 hits on the night to a mere 3 by Green Hope.

Scelsi had a good game at short for Green Hope

One of the few bright spots for Green Hope was the play of Luca Scelsi at short stop. He made some tough plays tonight which hasn't happened at that position, and he made a great play to turn a run scoring single into an inning ending double play (finished by a nice scoop at 1st by Boghosian). That play looked like an Eric Brady play especially with Luca wearing that number 14.

Green Hope now is 3-3 in the conference, tied with Lee County for the 5th and the final state playoff spot in the conference. This is with first half games remaining against 2nd place Middle Creek and 3rd place Athens Drive. And Green Hope joins last place Panther Creek (who beat Green Hope) and second to last place Cary, as the only teams in the Tri-9 with loosing overall records. So the Falcons will have their work cutout for them in the second half of the season.

Boghosian (0-1) took the loss tonight, but also had 2 of the 3 Green Hope hits and drove in the only run of the game.