Greenbrier upsets top-ranked Evans

It's awfully early to call a game the biggest of the year, but that is what Ed Williams said to his team before Friday night's game between Greenbrier and Evans.

"Coach told us it was the biggest game of the year and to give it our all," Greenbrier shortstop Michael Hester said.

The Wolfpack (5-2, 1-0) did just that Friday night at the Brierpatch, upsetting top-ranked Evans - which is No. 1 in both the state's coaches polls, GaSports.com and Georgia Dug Out Club.

Hester knocked in the game-winning run with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving Greenbrier a 3-2 win.

"I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit and hit it hard," said Hester, a sophomore making just his seventh start in a varsity uniform.

Another sophomore, Brandon Cumpton, hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2.

Evans scored on a Brad Freeman RBI single in the second inning and a solo home run by Kyle Wilkerson in the third.

"Our young guys stepped up tonight," Williams said. "We just have to keep getting better. But we got a win over a very good team tonight."

Evans shot itself in the foot with nine stranded runners and had little success in two-out hitting.

"We're not swinging the bats," Evans coach Ricky Beale said. "I think we're reading too much pressure right now."

Greenbrier, which fell to No. 10 in the recent GaSports.com poll, is the only Columbia County team that is unbeaten in county play.

"It's funny that people are already counting us out," said Rich Poythress. "Did we lose a lot of great players? Yes. But it's too early to write us off. We have too much pride for that. We showed a lot of heart, and we beat a great baseball team."