Greer baseball wraps up Palmetto in great big Hug performance

Greer catcher Gavin Hug summed up his 3-3, six-RBI performance in a way only he could.

“Honestly, the ball sort of looked like a beach ball out there,” Hug said, smiling. “It was a good night for me.”

Hug helped Greer overpower Palmetto 12-5 in front of a sizable home crowd. His first-inning opposite-field home run pushed Greer out to a 2-0 lead, while two more RBI singles and a walk with the bases loaded rounded out his dominant day at the plate.

Greer (3-2) never trailed in the win.

“Sometimes, you just have those kind of nights,” said Hug, who’s batting over .500 for the season thus far.

“Gavin’s been swinging it well. He had some really good at-bats for us during the preseason,” said Greer head coach Josh Smith. “He’s going to be right in the middle of our lineup. He’s been getting pitched a little differently this season, but when he does get a fastball, he can do some damage.

“He’s been getting a lot of experience since his freshman year. He’s prepared himself well.”

Hug is one of an astounding nine seniors on Greer’s roster this year. It’s the largest group of seniors Smith has ever coached, he says, but the large veteran presence is proving beneficial for the team early.

“The majority of these seniors have been playing Varsity here since their freshman years, so they’ve known the direction we’ve wanted to go with this program for a while,” said Smith. “Gavin’s one of our main leaders, but all of our seniors have been showing leadership both on and off the field.”

The Jackets begin region play this week with a three-game set vs. Wade Hampton. Through five games, they’re averaging nine runs per contest.

If Greer’s bats stay as hot as they’ve been early, says Hug, they’ll find success and compete for the region title.

“I feel like tonight’s game is a good picture of where we’re going as a team,” said Hug. “And if we can keep hitting the way we have been, we’ll be good.”

THE SCORE BY INNINGS
Palmetto
0 1 0 0 4 0 0 - 5

Greer
2 5 0 0 2 3 X - 12

GREER STAT LEADERS
Gavin Hug - 3-3, HR, 6 RBI, BB
Cole Bellinger - 2-4, 3 R
Christian Crane - 2-4, R, BB

Winning Pitcher: Luke Godfrey - 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, K