Galveston College secured third place in the NJCAA Division I Region 14 South Conference by sweeping Wharton County Junior College, 12-4 and 8-7, in the regular-season finale on Friday at Bernard Davis Field, securing the No. 3 seed for the Regional Tournament.

The Whitecaps improved to 31-23 overall and 19-16 in the South Conference with the doubleheader sweep of the Pioneers, who dropped to 30-25 overall and 16-19 in the conference.

GC also ensured the No. 3 seed for the Regional Tournament, which begins on Thursday at Blinn College in Brenham. The Whitecaps will open against Tyler Junior College (36-18, 19-11) at 6 p.m. in the first round of the regional competition. The Apaches are the No. 2 seed from the North Conference, where they captured second place.

“I’m proud of what our team has achieved this season,” said GC Head Baseball Coach, Brian Reinke. “We have a young team and to take third place in a highly competitive conference like the one we’re in and qualify to the regional tournament are great accomplishments. We’re learning and improving every day and the opportunity to compete in the regional tournament will be a good experience for our team.”

After a couple of lead changes in the first three innings of Friday’s opening game, the Whitecaps broke the contest wide open with a six-run third inning which gave the home team a 9-3 advantage. GC added three more runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach and ended it with a 12-4 rout.

GC catcher Cameran Christ went 2-for-3 with a home run, scored three times and drove in four runs, while center fielder Kyeler Thompson went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs.

Whitecaps sophomore starting pitcher John Alkire tossed six innings of three-hit ball, allowed three runs and struck out half a dozen Pioneers. Alkire was credited with the win and improved to 9-4 on the season. GC sophomore reliever Kade Foulke pitched one inning of relief, allowing one run on two hits and striking out three opposing batters.

The second game of the twin bill didn’t look promising for the home team. WCJC scored four runs in the first inning off GC sophomore starter Jacob Cyr to take an early 4-0 lead.

The Whitecaps got two runs back in the home half of the first to cut the deficit by two and began to turn the tide in the fifth inning with three scores to take a 5-4 lead.

Although the visitors tied the game 5-5 in the seventh, GC scored three runs in the eighth to retake the lead, 8-5.

The Pioneers rallied in the ninth frame with a pair of runs that brought them within one run of knotting up the game a second time. However, Whitecaps sophomore reliever David Irons came in to get the last two outs of the game and seal the series sweep.

GC sophomore hurler Kam Hardebeck won the game to improve to 2-2. Hardebeck pitched 3.1 innings, allowed three runs on two hits and fanned one. Irons was credited with his second save of the season and struck out one of the three batters he faced.

Offensively, Whitecaps first baseman MD Conner went 1-for-2 with three RBIs, left fielder Zachary Daigre went 2-for-5, scored one run and drove in another run, and catcher Evan Aslaksen went 2-for-4 with a score and one RBI.

For more information about the Galveston College Whitecaps baseball program, rosters and season schedule, visit https:/www.gcwhitecaps.com/landing/index.

ABOUT GALVESTON COLLEGE

Galveston College was founded in 1967 and is a comprehensive community college providing the residents of Galveston Island and the surrounding region with academic, workforce development, continuing education and community service programs.