The CCA Patriots took a trip to Macon on Saturday to face the 4A Stratford Academy Eagles. Stratford won both games, dropping the Patriots to 2-3-1 on the season.
The Eagles took game one 10-5. CCA mustered just four hits and the offense was mostly dormant for six innings. Down 10-1 going into the seventh inning, the Patriot bats finally showed some signs of life. CCA scored four in the seventh – all with two outs — to cut Stratford’s lead in half. With two out and two on, Gray McLean was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Thomas Gentry singled on the first pitch he saw to score Clay Phillips and Landon Williams. Gentry advanced to second and McLean went to third on an errant throw. Blake Bryant was next and he didn’t waste any time, either. He doubled to center on the first pitch and scored McLean and Gentry.
Bryant (2), Gentry (1), and Landon Baker (1) had hits for the Patriots. Bryant and Gentry drove in a pair as well.
Gentry and Sam Ables pitched for CCA. Gentry went four innings while Ables threw two. Gentry allowed six runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked three. Ables surrendered four runs on three hits. He struck out three Eagles and walked just one.
Game two was a much closer affair. The Patriots carried a 6-5 lead into the seventh inning. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles were able to turn a walk into a run to tie the game at six. CCA went down in order in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, the Eagles loaded the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly to center scored the winning run. Stratford prevailed 7-6 in eight innings.
Gentry and Bryant had two hits and a run scored. Williams had a hit, two walks, two runs scored, and an RBI. His lone hit was a solo home run to center to lead off the top of the third, the first homer of the season for the Patriots.
Head coach Jeremy Coram sent four pitchers to the mound. Jonathan Rutland started and went 2 1/3 innings. Phillips, Jett Hart, and Will McLean also saw action. Hart had the longest outing. He went three innings and gave up two hits and one run. He also struck out one and walked one.
The Patriots are in action again Monday, March 24, 2025, against Vidalia Heritage at home. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30.