Bobcats Take One Game of Three over No. 6 Brunswick
The Bryant & Stratton Bobcats had a rollercoaster weekend, highlighted by a thrilling walk-off win on Saturday, followed by two tough losses to the Brunswick Dolphins in high-scoring affairs. In front of a patriotic crowd for Military Appreciation Day, the Bobcats delivered a dramatic 11-10 victory, capped by a game-winning home run from Diego Melendez. However, the Bobcats couldn't quite carry that momentum into the following games, as they fell 11-9 and 9-8 in extra innings on Sunday. Despite the heartbreaking defeats, standout performances from Bishop Quarles, who hit multiple home runs, and solid team play showed the Bobcats' resilience and determination.
In front of a patriotic crowd for Military Appreciation Day, the Bryant & Stratton Bobcats delivered a dramatic 11-10 walk-off win over the Brunswick Dolphins on Saturday afternoon. The festivities began with Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, followed by a stirring performance of the national anthem by the Color Guard, setting the tone for an unforgettable day of baseball. The star of the show was Diego Melendez, who blasted three home runs, including the game-winning solo shot to left field in the bottom of the tenth inning. Melendez also homered in the first and sixth innings, finishing with four RBIs in a game filled with momentum swings. Bryant & Stratton jumped out to a 3-1 lead after three innings, with a solo homer from Bishop Quarles and an RBI single from Melendez. The Dolphins clawed back and took the lead in the sixth on a three-run homer by Ian Bailey. Melendez answered in the bottom half with his second long ball to tie it at 4-4. The back-and-forth continued into the ninth. Brunswick surged ahead 10-7 on an RBI groundout from Zach Jennings and a two-run homer by Danny O'Brien. But the Bobcats wouldn't be denied—Ben Malone launched a clutch three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, setting the stage for Melendez's heroic walk-off in the tenth. The Bobcats totaled 14 hits, with Quarles and Malone also turning in multi-hit performances. Nelson Zapata added an RBI and a hit, and the defense was solid, turning two double plays. Derek Arrocha earned the win out of the bullpen, tossing two innings with two strikeouts. Starter Jason Johnson struck out seven over 5.2 innings of work.
The Bryant & Stratton Bobcats nearly erased a five-run deficit on Saturday but ultimately came up short in an 11–9 loss to the Brunswick Dolphins in another high-scoring battle between the two teams. The Dolphins jumped out early, scoring three runs in the top of the first behind an RBI double from Zach Jennings, a run-scoring single by Danny O'Brien, and a base hit down the left-field line from Zack Mays. Trailing 5-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, the Bobcats came roaring back with a six-run frame, highlighted by a pair of doubles, a two-run error, and a fielder's choice that helped flip the momentum and give Bryant & Stratton a 6–5 lead. Brunswick quickly responded, reclaiming the lead in the top of the fifth with a five-run burst of their own. Trey Pierce's two-run double was the key blow in an inning that saw the Dolphins capitalize on timely hitting and free passes. The Bobcats chipped away late, cutting the deficit to 11–9 in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run home run to left field by Justin Smith, but Brunswick's bullpen shut the door in the final innings. Bryant & Stratton racked up 12 hits on the day. Bishop Quarles led the offense with a 3-for-4 effort from the eighth spot in the lineup. Chris Johnson, Josh Smith, and Justin Smith each drove in two runs, while Nelson Zapata and Diego Melendez turned in multi-hit games.
Bishop Quarles turned in a monster performance at the plate with two home runs and four RBIs, but it wasn't enough as the Bryant & Stratton Bobcats dropped a heartbreaker, 9–8, to the Brunswick Dolphins in 11 innings on Sunday. The Dolphins opened the scoring in the third inning with an RBI single from Zach Jennings, but Quarles responded in the bottom half with a solo home run to center, tying the game at 1–1. After a solo homer by Brunswick's Landon Roberts in the fourth, the Bobcats surged ahead 4–2 behind a two-run blast from Chris Johnson and an RBI single by Quarles. The back-and-forth continued in the fifth as the Dolphins reclaimed the lead, 5–4, with back-to-back home runs from Ian Bailey and Jamee Bradbury. Quarles struck again in the bottom of the sixth with his second homer of the day, this one to center, pushing the Bobcats back in front, 6–5. Nelson Zapata added a clutch two-run double in the seventh to give Bryant & Stratton an 8–6 lead but the Dolphins kept clawing back. JD Graziani singled in a run in the seventh to cut the lead to one, then delivered a game-tying solo homer in the top of the ninth to send the game into extras. Danny O'Brien sealed the win for Brunswick in the top of the 11th with a solo shot to center. Despite the loss, the Bobcats had a strong day offensively with 12 hits. Quarles, Zapata, Diego Melendez, and Ben Meeks each had multi-hit performances. Defensively, Bryant & Stratton was flawless, turning a double play and committing no errors. Dakota Doll led the team with 14 chances in the field. Derek Arrocha took the loss for the Bobcats, despite a solid 3.2-inning relief outing. Clayton Cooksey started for Bryant & Stratton, striking out eight while allowing six runs on 10 hits.
