MURFREESBORO — Friendship Christian scored twice in the top of the second, then rode the strong left arm of Brennan Swindoll for a 4-0 victory over Silverdale Baptist in Friday’s Class A baseball championship game at MTSU’s Reese Smith, Jr. Field.
The win was the 11th in a row for the Commanders, who wrapped up their championship second with a record of 33-6 overall.
Swindoll (10-2) threw 103 pitches (77 for strikes) on just two days rest to notch his second BlueCross Spring Fling shutout of the week.
The Chattanooga State signee scattered seven hits, struck out nine and walked just two batters — both in the bottom of the sixth to load the bases with one out. Swindoll the calmly pitched out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
“The coaches were calling good pitches and I just had to settle down and do what I’ve been doing all season,” Swindoll said, “We’ve got a good defense back there and I knew if they hit it — our guys would make a play.”
DH Austin Godwin led off the second innine with a double down the leftfield line, then scored when Tanner Martin drilled a double to the gap in leftcenter. Martin came around to score on Gunner Osborne’s single for a two-run lead against Silverdale starter and loser Joey Szollosi.
FCS picked up a pair of insurance runs in the top of the sixth on an infield error, a wild pitch and a single by Osborne.
Caleb Snider, Swindoll and Osborne each had two hits for Friendship. Josiah Green paced the Silverdale offensive attack with a pair of singles.
Silverdale finished the season 29-4 while FCS picked up its TSSAA state title — the first coming in 2007.
Over the past two academic years, Friendship Christian has notched back-to-back state championships in Class 2A football, back-to-back Class A volleyball titles and a 2012 Class A boys basketball championship.
