Last week, the South Georgia State College Hawks won two out of three games in walk-off fashion. On Monday, a mile away from the SGSC campus, the walk-offs continued – this time on the campus of Citizens Christian Academy.
The CCA Patriots scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning – four of them with two outs — to defeat the 3A defending state champion Terrell Academy Eagles 8-7 Monday afternoon. Early on, the Patriots were plagued by uninspired and lethargic play. Then, when everyone – including the Eagles – thought the outcome was just a formality, CCA came alive. In the final inning, the Patriots were disciplined, poised, and they took advantage of opportunities the Eagles gave them.
Terrell scored one in the first. CCA followed with two in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead – their only lead of the game until they won it in the seventh. The Eagles scored four in the second and two in the fifth. The Patriots scored one in the fifth to make the score 7-3.
When the final inning rolled around, it didn’t look like CCA had much hope. But Gray McLean started a rally when he led off the inning with a single. During Thomas Gentry’s at-bat, McLean stole second and third. Then he scored on a ground out by Gentry. The score was now 7-4 but there wasn’t much reason to be too concerned.
That feeling wouldn’t last.
Blake Bryant was next and he was hit by a pitch. A fly out was responsible for the second out of the inning. Trailing by three, the Patriots were down to their last out.
Jonathan Rutland was next. On a 1-1 count, Bryant stole second. Rutland singled but went all the way around to third on a Terrell error. Bryant scored to get the Patriots to within two, 7-5. Jonah Hall reached on an error, scoring Rutland in the process. CCA trailed by just one , 7-6. Jackson Knight was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Landon Williams followed and drew a walk to load the bases. Eighth grader Clay Phillips stepped into the box with the game on the line. He also walked, scoring Hall to tie the game and keep the bases loaded.
Terrell made a pitching change when McLean came up for the second time in the inning. McLean got ahead 2-0 but then looked at a strike. He fouled off the next pitch to even the count at 2-2. He remained unfazed at the moment and watched the next two pitches miss the strike zone. He drew a walk of his own, which scored Knight to win the game 8-7.
McLean and Gentry each had two hits. Gentry drove in two as well. McLean and Bryant scored twice.
Rutland started and went 1 2/3 innings. McLean came in and threw the last 5 1/3 innings for the win. He gave up two earned runs on two hits. He struck out five and walked two.
The Patriots are 10-5-2 and have two more tough games this week. Tuesday, they travel to Bellville to face a really good Pinewood team. Then Trinity Christian comes to town on Thursday for a 4:30 showdown.