And just like that, it’s over. The CCA Patriots’ baseball season ended Friday afternoon against the Southwest Georgia Academy Warriors in Damascus. The Patriots lost game one in heartbreaking fashion, giving up four runs in the bottom of the seventh to fall 9-8. Game two wasn’t even close. The Warriors, fueled by two six-run innings (the fifth and the seventh) won easily 12-2.
CCA scored a run in the first then plated five in the fourth to take a 6-5 lead. The Patriots scored two more in the sixth to build what appeared to be a comfortable 8-5 lead.
The Warriors, however, had other plans.
Southwest Georgia led off the seventh with a triple, a walk, and a single to get within two. A pop fly accounted for the first out and kept baserunners, who were at first and second, in place. A passed ball with C Williams at the plate moved the runners to second and third. Then Williams hit a sacrifice fly to score a run and get Southwest Georgia within one. The Patriots opted to intentionally walk S Franklin. Then two hit batsmen in a row scored another run and tied the game. The Warriors then walked it off on an error that scored the game-winning run.
Jonathan Rutland was 3-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Thomas Gentry had two hits. Gray McLean scored twice.
Blake Bryant started for the Patriots and scattered seven hits across five innings. He walked two, struck out four, and gave up five runs (all earned). Rutland threw the last two innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on two hits. He walked six and struck out five.
CCA didn’t have long to dwell on their misfortune. Things looked well for the Patriots early on. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead after three innings and held their advantage until the fifth. That’s when the Warriors woke up again and touched CCA for six runs in the fifth and six more in the seventh to take an insurmountable 12-2 lead.
Thomas Gentry started and went 4 1/3 innings and was the pitcher of record. He gave up six runs (five earned) on two hits. He struck out seven and walked four. Rutland, Gray McLean, and Tyson Crosby also saw action on the mound for the Patriots.
CCA’s season ends with a 22-11 record and a region championship. With only two seniors, the Patriots will be back next season with most of their team intact — including most of their pitching staff.