Seahawks and Bulldogs split on the diamond in preseason classic

The Freeport Bulldogs got the first win, 4-2, while South Walton Seahawks secured the second, 9-7, in a pair of five inning games in Santa Rosa Beach Thursday night.

In game one, South Walton got on the board first with a run scored by Tyler Townson on a walk and a couple of stolen bases in the bottom of the first inning.

Freeport took the upper hand in the top of the second with three runs on one hit, two errors and a hit batter. Caleb McCormick and Joseph Petrone scored on throwing errors and Adam Reddick came home on a bunt sacrifice by Darren Fannin. Morgan Hardee ripped a double for the only hit of the inning.

South Walton picked up another run in the bottom of the fourth. Alex Astin belted a standup double to left and scored on a sacrifice by Shawn Howard.

Freeport finished off the game in the top of the fifth with Brandon Head smacking a double up the middle and then scoring on a single by Caleb McCormick.

Davis and Fannin shared pitching duties for the Bulldogs. Davis faced 11 batters, struck out three, walked three and gave up no hits. Fannin threw to 10 batters, struck out four, walked two and gave up one hit.

Astin pitched four innings for the Seahawks. He faced 19 batters, struck out two, walked one and gave up two hits. Joe Canalejo pitched the last innings, striking out one, walking none and giving up one hit.

In game two, the Seahawks pounded out six hits to come from behind to beat the Bulldogs 9-7.

Freeport drew first blood with three runs in the top of the first on one hit, an error and a couple of walks. Brandon Head had the one hit. Hardee, Chase Caswell and Head each scored.

In the bottom of the second, South Walton got on top with four runs on two hits, three walks and an error. Fletcher Wilson singled and Canalejo ripped a hit to right for an RBI. Canalejo scored on a walk, while Drew Pfeiffer scored on a passed ball and Dustin Allen on an error.

Freeport tied up the game in the top of the third. Davis reached on an error and scored on a hard-hit double to right by Head.

In the fourth, the Bulldogs got the advantage with three runs on two hits, three walks and a couple of errors. Nick Russell doubled to right and Fannin was hit by a pitch. Hardee singled to bring in Russell. Fannin scored on a throwing error and Hardee was later forced in on a walk.

South Walton took over in the bottom of the fourth with five runs on two hits, a couple of errors and two hit batters. Tyler Slotter singled for an RBI and Chris Ritchie drilled a single to right for two RBIs. The other two runs scored on passed balls.

Seahawk pitcher Rex Rutledge sat the Bulldogs down in the top of the fifth on groundout to first and two strikeouts.

Dustin Allen pitched the first three innings for the Seahawks and struck out seven, walked three and gave up two hits. Rutledge finished up the last two with four strikeouts, three walks and two hits.

In the second game, Freeport used four pitchers, Head, Hardee, Russell and Davis.