What a difference a Spring Break tournament made for River Bluff baseball

The Gators arrived at the Forest Acres Classic weighed down by a 6-game losing streak.

4 games later, River Bluff left AC Flora High School a champion for the 3rd time after a 4-2 win over the host team in the final.

AC Flora led 2-0 after an RBI double by Max Childress and solo home run by Jack Reynolds.

In the Bottom 6th, the Gators scored 4 unanswered runs.

Charlie Fetner Award winner as the Classic’s Most Valuable Player Beau Hollins and Todd Hudson hit back-to-back singles off reliever Jack Reynolds to lead off the Bottom 6th.

Walker Mitchell then lined a double just inside the fair line in rightfield to score Hollins.

Preston Sansone was hit by a pitch to load the bases with 1 out. River Bluff starting pitcher Jack Benedict was next and belted a RBI single to tie the game.

The ball was misplayed by Childress, allowing 2 more baserunners to reach home and Benedict. advance to 2nd base.

“The energy in the dugout,” said Benedict, who was playing just his 3rd game of the season after recovering from an ankle injury. “We were putting the ball in play. Everybody was lifting each other up and we just came ready, came ready to play.”

Todd Hudson opened the 7th in relief of Tyler McClendon, who had replaced Benedict in the 5th. AC Flora had baserunners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out when Hudson struck out University of South Carolina commit Zander Buchan and got Phillip Daniels to ground out to 1st base to end the game.

Benedict and Mitchell were named to the All-Tournament team and Tyler Johnson to the All-Academic team.

This was the Gators’ 2nd tournament victory this season after winning the Naturchem Invitational

Dutch Fork defeated Hammond School 8-6 to finish in 3rd place, while White Knoll beat Gray Collegiate Academy 8-2 in the 5th place game.