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Published Thursday, July 02, 2009 in Sports

Newnan lineup wins fifth-straight game

By Stuart Crosby

The Times-Herald

The Newnan Braves stayed with the basics Wednesday evening at the Heritage School as three pitchers combined to limit the Columbus Woodbats to three hits and an unearned run in a 7-1 Great South League victory over their division rival.

The win was the fifth in a row for the Braves who have improved to 9-5 on the season while the first place Woodbats fell to 13-4.

"We had quality pitching and timely hitting tonight against a good team," commented head coach Rick Behenna. "That is something we have done the last few games and that has worked out for us."

The Braves wasted very little time in giving their pitching a lead as Jake Lepchitz and Heine Rivera reached on consecutive singles and one out later, Joey Lewis walked to load the bases for Brandon Behenna who promptly cleared them with a triple to right center field.

With a chance to add to the lead, Michael Burruss reached on a walk for the Braves and stole second but Woodbats starting pitcher David Lane managed to get out of trouble with a strikeout and a flyball to leave the runners stranded.

The margin was enough for Braves starter Nick Terry who wasn't as sharp as normal but the lefthander from Appalachian State only permitted second inning singles to Blake Sills and Merritt Hicks with Sills scoring on an error in the outfield.

Terry would allow a pair of baserunners in the top of the third inning but he would persevere by getting a force play and a pair of groundouts in the frame.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Braves would add to the lead as Lewis, Burruss and Miller reached on walks to load the bases and Eric Skinner followed with a two run single.

On the play, the ball got away from the catcher allowing Miller to advance to third and eventually score as Byron Haynes came through with a single through the middle of the Woodbats infield.

The Woodbats would make a pitching change as Lane was replaced by Chris McKenna to get out of further trouble and the sidearm pitcher from West Georgia retired Lepchitz on a popfly to first and retire Rivera on strikes.

Bryan Blough entered the game for the Braves in the top of the fourth inning and surrendered a single to open his stint, but for the next four innings the former East Coweta Indian and future Georgia Bulldog was almost dominating for four frames as one more batter would reach base.

During the four innings, Blough was getting his defense involved in the game with nine putouts while he recorded three strikeouts before he was lifted prior to the start of the eighth inning.

Meanwhile, the Braves added one more run to the lead as Lewis would launch an offering from McKenna over the left field fence for a solo home run that sailed over the tennis courts behind the Heritage field.

Newnan would finish the game with Jarrett Coker who had a solid start in his debut for the Braves last week in a win over the Macon Giants and while the former Parkview hurler struggled in the ninth, the Woodbats could not hit him as evidenced six strikeouts he recorded to end finish the game.

"I wasn't sure what to expect from Nick, Bryan or Jarrett because they haven't had a chance to get a lot of work," Behenna said. "We just needed them to basically get outs and they did that plus they weren't in real trouble."

Next on the Braves' schedule will be a non-division contest at Rhinehart College when they face the Windward Braves in a Monday afternoon game at 3:00.

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