Baldwin Indians Win Gateway Conference Championship

The 2026 Gateway Conference Champion Baldwin Indians. *Photo from @BaldwinBaseballBoosterClub.

Never count the Baldwin Indians out of a baseball game.

This week the club showed its full mettle by sweeping its way through the Gateway Conference Playoff Brackett. For the third straight game, the Indians rallied for the win with a 4-3 comeback over the Sandalwood Saints in the championship. For the first time in team history, the Indians are the Gateway Conference Champions.

With the action all tied up at 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning, the Indians (13-10) completed the comeback in perfectly dramatic fashion. Down 0-1 in the count leading off the frame, senior shortstop Turner Farah slugged a solo home run to left field for the lead and eventual winning run. After trailing 2-0 through two innings, Baldwin suddenly found itself with a lead it never relinquished.

The pitching took care of the rest, as starter Chase Staley closed out his outing by getting two outs in the bottom of the sixth, before Brian Malice came on in relief for the final out. Staley allowed two earned runs on three hits and three walks, with eight strikeouts. Sophomore Zain Gillespie earned the save by recording a scoreless seventh that preserved the title victory.

Nearly every Baldwin starter reached base to contribute offensively, but none was larger than the big day at the plate from Staley. To compliment his quality start, Staley was also 4-for-4 with a double and a run.

With the district playoffs just around the corner, Baldwin served notice to its grit and fortitude. The Indians broke a tie game with the winning runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 4-2 decision over First Coast to start the tournament, and then they rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh for a 4-3 walk-off victory over the Fletcher Senators to advance to the finale.

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