Blake Bryant homered twice and starter Thomas Gentry went six innings, allowing one earned run on two hits and striking out 12 in the CCA Patriots’ 9-1 region win over the Robert Toombs Christian Academy Crusaders Tuesday afternoon in Douglas. On Monday, the Patriots traveled to Lyons and defeated the Crusaders 12-0.
In Tuesday’s game, CCA jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Landon Williams led off with a single to center. Williams stole second during Jonathan Rutland’s at-bat. Rutland bunted to the pitcher but reached first safely. Williams advanced to third on the play. Clay Phillips followed; Rutland stole second to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Phillips grounded out, scoring Williams and moving Rutland to third. Landon Baker came up next; during his at-bat, Rutland scored on a wild pitch to give the Patriots a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Gentry got into a little trouble but pitched his way out. After striking out the leadoff batter Karson Kennedy, Gentry walked Christian Mixon then hit Brody Randall with a pitch to put runners on first and second. He gave up a single to Brittan Tabor to load the bases with one out. Banks Hopkins walked, scoring Mixon for RTCA’s first – and only – run of the game. With the bases still loaded, Gentry finished off the inning with a strikeout and a groundout.
In the bottom of the third, Bryant scored on a two-out wild pitch to give the Patriots a 3-1 lead. Two innings later, Gentry singled to score Gray McLean, who led off the inning with a single. Bryant was next and he hit a two-run no-doubter to center on a 1-2 pitch to increase CCA’s advantage to 6-1. In the sixth, Bryant hit another long home run, this one a solo shot to left. A few batters later, Cayden Hall drove in Tyson Crosby and Williams on an infield single to put the Patriots up 9-1. Neither team would score in the seventh and final inning.
Bryant was 3-3 with three RBI, three runs scored, and a walk. Williams was 3-4 with two runs scored. Hall had a hit and two RBI. Phillips threw the final inning in relief, striking out two.
On Monday, McLean and Sam Ables combined for a two-hitter against the Crusaders. McLean also was a perfect 4-4 with four RBI and two runs scored at the plate. Gentry had two hits, two runs scored, and three RBI as well.
The Patriots are 13-6-2 on the season and remain undefeated in region play. They have an important game three against the Crusaders Thursday in Lyons at 4:30 p.m. Following that game, CCA has four games remaining, three of which are on the road.