COVINGTON, Ga. — The Eastside Eagles flew in with the brooms on Friday as the team completed a three-game sweep over the Flowery Branch Falcons.

Eastside took game one with a 8-7 win on Tuesday, but the bats broke out for 19 runs in the final two games on Friday. In particular, multi-hit games from Tripp Swords, Parker Denmark and Jayden Bloodworth propelled the Eagles to the sweep.

Game Two: Eastside 5, Flowery Branch 3

In what proved to be a seven-inning pitcher’s duel, Eastside prevailed 5-3 with the help of Swords and Denmark.

Swords’ contributions came on the mound, where he pitched a complete game and only allowed a pair of earned runs. It was not a large strikeout day for the sophomore, he pitched well and got out of jams when Eastside needed it the most.

For Denmark, it was a 3-for-3 performance from the No. 2 spot in the lineup.

Swords took the mound first and pitched around a one-out walk to put his team at the plate for the first time. By the time he went back out to the mound, Swords was backed by a 2-0 lead.

Chase Jordan and Denmark notched base hits to start the game before Peyton Shaw delivered with an RBI single. Swords grounded into a double play in the net at-bat, but it scored the runner.

Swords pitched another scoreless frame in the second, but the Falcons got to him when he returned to the mound in the third.

With two runners on and one out, a passed ball got past Eli Christian as it allowed Jack Stage to score. One pitch later, Brett Sturm sent the ball over the right field wall for a go-ahead two-run homer.

Flowery Branch looked to threaten even more as another batter reached, but Swords snagged a line drive before he doubled Eli Poole off to end the frame.

In need of a response, Eastside put itself in great position as the first three batters of the inning reached base.

A wild pitch allowed Jordan to score and tie the game. On the next pitch, Swords pulled a ball through to left field for a RBI single to take a 4-3 lead.

Similar to Swords in the early-going, Bloodworth scored a run on a double play. Following a Cooper Stokes groundout to end the bottom of the third, the Eagles led 5-3.

Despite base runners in almost every remaining frame, neither team managed to add any runs to their totals.

Swords remained on the mound until the final frame, where he pitched around a pair of Falcons’ base runners to put an end to game two.

Following a groundout from Jake Bursinger, the game concluded with a 5-3 Eastside win.

Denmark’s three hits led Eastside offensively as he also finished with a pair of runs scored. Jordan was the only other Eagle to notch a multi-hit game.

Game Three: Eastside 14, Flowery Branch 9

As the final game of the series progressed, it was clear that the bats were working for both teams.

The Eagles ultimately completed the sweep with a 14-9 win that featured 21 hits and 16 walks in total.

Levi Pickett started the game for Eastsie and traded early on a Bursinger RBI single. However, Pickett’s teammates helped him out with a five-spot in the bottom half of the frame.

With a pair of runners on, a groundball from Shaw was misplayed for a run-scoring error. Two batters later, Bloodworth came through with a two-run single to give Eastside its first lead of the game.

Following a sacrifice fly from Christian, Stokes singled into the fifth and final run of the inning to put Eastside ahead 5-1.

Pickett settled in, and struck out three batters in the second frame to put his teammates back at the plate.

Eastside looked to start another rally as the first three batters of the frame reached, but Dominic Kovach retired the next three batters to escape a bases-loaded jam.

After another one-two-three from Pickett, the Eagles’ bats broke through.

Amond Sands doubled to lead off the inning before Jordan sent him home on a double of his own. Kovach earned the first two outs right after, but the Eagles were not done.

Swords stepped into the box and fouled off the first pitch. When the next one arrived, Swords went right back at it and sent the ball over the fence for his first home run of the season.

Swords’ solo blast gave Eastside a 8-1 lead.

By the time the bottom of the fifth arrived, Eastside’s seven-run lead was trimmed all the way down to 7-8.

Flowery Branch added a run in the fourth, but it was a pair of homers in the fifth that closed the distance.

After a RBI double from Brady Kotula, Sturm and Aiden Oates each hit two-run home runs to close the gap on the Eagles.

With the Falcons surging, Eastside managed to slow down the momentum in the fifth with a timely answer.

Eastside loaded the bases with only one out before Swords and Bloodworth hit back-to-back RBI singles to stretch the lead to 10-7. Following a steal of home and a RBI groundout, the lead moved to  12-7.

Bloodworth took over for Pickett in the fifth and continued to pitch into the sixth inning as he pitched a scoreless frame.

Eastside added two more runs in the bottom half of the sixth to double the Falcons at 14-7, but Flowery Branch attempted a late rally with only three outs left.

The Falcons loaded the bases with two outs before Dominic Camacho and Stage drew walks to score a run apiece.

However, a fly out to Sands in the ensuing at-bat put an end to the contest as Eastside completed the sweep.

Eastside totaled 15 hits in the win as Jordan finished with a 4-for-4 line that included four runs scored and one RBI. Swords and Bloodworth each finished with three hits and three RBIs.

Through 4.1 innings of work, Pickett struck out nine batters and allowed five earned runs.

What’s next

The Eagles ended a six-game skid with the series sweep as the team’s record moved to 11-8 and 3-6 in Region 8-AAAA play.

Eastside began a three-game series with Madison County on Tuesday, March 31. The final two games of the series will be played at Eastside on Friday, April 3 as part of a doubleheader.