Zane Stephens went 3 for 4 and hit a walk-off grand slam to lead Suwannee to a run-rule win against Santa Fe.

LIVE OAK — Suwannee has flexed its muscle at the plate in the last two games.

On Thursday, it was the middle of the order and three seniors who did the most damage against Santa Fe.   

Sam McMillan blasted a three-run home run, Jackson Greene drove in five runs, and Zane Stephens hit a walk-off grand slam in the fifth inning to lead the Bulldogs to a 14-1 run-rule victory against the Raiders at Booster Field. SHS has scored 24 runs in its last two games, both five-inning, run-rule wins.

“We’ve been able to put teams away, whereas early in the year we were leaving runners out there,” said Suwannee coach Justin Bruce. “It’s all a level of focus and having an approach at the plate. Confidence is starting to spread throughout the lineup.”   

Needing one run to end the game in the bottom of the fifth, SHS loaded the bases for Stephens, who connected on his second home run of the season and Suwannee’s first grand slam this year. Stephens went 3 for 4 at the plate and picked up the win on the mound, pitching the first two innings.  

SHS grabbed a 10-1 lead after two innings and used three different pitchers in the final three innings. Blake Tedder, Kyle Gamble and Hueston Morrill pitched one inning apiece. The Raiders’ (6-8) only run came in the second inning.

Greene had the big hit in the first inning — a bases-clearing double that scored Evan Johnson, Stephens and Tedder. One inning later, McMillan lined a three-run shot to left-center field for his fourth home run of the season.

“We moved Jackson around the lineup and he’s been able to get it going the last couple of games, which is huge for our lineup,” Bruce said. “Sam recognizes fastball counts better than anybody. When he knows it’s coming, he’s always going to put a good swing on it.”

Tedder, Stephens, Johnson and Morrill scored two runs each. Morrill has hit safely in his last six games. Johnson is on a five-game hit streak and Tedder is on a four-game hitting streak.

Suwannee is 13-2 and will host Wakulla on Monday at 6 p.m.