Donoho shines
- Updated: February 28, 2023
Falcons open season with program’s first home game under lights, erupt for 15-0 victory over neighboring Faith Christian
By Brant Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today
New stadium lights lit the sky at Donoho Tuesday night.
The Falcons’ soccer field was lit for a match, and the Falcon baseball team had brand new lights as they opened a new era with its first night home game in history.
The Donoho fans poured in and packed the place and saw their Falcons put on a flawless performance in taking a 15-0 win over Faith Christian.
Donoho pounded out 14 hits, and three pitchers combined to allow one hit to please the home crowd.
“It was all new to us,” Donoho coach Steve Gendron said. “We did not have a normal routine, since we have never had a home night game.
“Our kids loved it, though, as they got to take batting practice before the game. We have not had time in the past.”
The batting practice must have helped as every batting spot in the lineup had a hit.
The first inning was all Donoho, as the Falcons came out swinging. Lucas Elliot ripped a triple to drive in Nic Thompson (walk) with the first run. Peyton Webb followed with a towering home run to right-center field to give the Falcons’ a 3-0 lead.
Blake Sewell blasted a triple to right, but was left stranded at third when Faith pitcher Brady Whitworth fanned Kai Cleckler and Sam Montgomery to end the inning.
The Falcons extended the lead to 4-0 in the second inning on Marcus Lawler’s RBI single.
The floodgates opened in the bottom of the third, when Donoho exploded for eight runs on seven hits, a walk and a hit-batter. Sewell had the big hit in the inning with a three-run double. Shawn Keel added a two-run single.
Three perfect innings of pitching by Sewell gave the Falcons a 13-0 lead after three complete innings.
Donoho added two more runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by Elliott’s run-scoring single.
“Our hitters hit the ball well to right field, and we were able to move runners over, and they were very patient,” Gendron said. “I thought our pitching was very good.”
Sewell, Hayes Farrell and Thompson combined for five shutout innings, seven strike-outs and only allowed three base-runners in five innings.
As fun as the baseball game was for Donoho, doing it under the lights fulfilled a dream.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a while, and I know everybody else has,” said Elliott, who signed to play for Wallace State-Selma earlier Tuesday. “It’s going to be so cool.
“Playing under the lights anywhere is a cool experience, but for it to be the first time on our home field is … really something.“
Faith 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 1 3
Donoho 3 1 9 2 X -15 14 0
WP Sewell. LP Whitworth. HR Webb (D). 3B Elliot (D), Sewell (D), Thompson (D). 2B Cleckler (D).
Cover photo: Donoho played its first night home game Tuesday, beating Faith Christian 15-0 under newly installed lights. (Photo by Brant Locklier)
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