The CCA Patriots split Friday’s games during their stint in Cocoa Beach, Florida, winning game one against the Fleming County Panthers 3-2 then dropping game two to the East Carter Raiders 3-1. Thursday, they had defeated East Carter 6-4.
CCA scored runs in the second, fifth, and sixth innings. Then they kept a Panthers’ rally at bay in the bottom of the sixth when Fleming County plated two runs.
The Patriots got on the board first when Hunter Hayes scored Tyson Crosby on a sacrifice fly. In the fifth, Same Ables singled to score Thomas Gentry to give CCA a 2-0 lead. An inning later, Gray McLean singled with one out then stole second and third. He ended up scoring on a passed ball to put CCA ahead 3-0. The Panthers responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth but that’s all they could muster.
Starter Jonathan Rutland (6 2/3 innings; 111 pitches; five hits; two runs, only one of which was earned; five walks; and nine strikeouts) took the win for CCA. McLean, who recorded the easiest save of his career, came in with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and threw one pitch, which was lined to third for the final out of the game.
Gentry had three hits while McLean and Ables had two hits each.
In game two, the Patriots scattered eight hits throughout the game but only scored one run. In the sixth, Gentry scored when Hayes reached on an error. The Raiders scored all three of their runs early – two in the first and one in the second.
Blake Bryant (six innings, five hits, three earned runs, five walks, 11 strikeouts) took the loss with a 107-pitch complete game.
Rutland and Gentry were CCA’s top hitters; both had two hits apiece.
The Patriots have four games this week: Tuesday at Georgia Christian (4:30), Thursday at Pinewood (6:00) Friday against CHESS Academy at home (4:30), and Saturday at First Preparatory Christian Academy (1:00). CCA is 13-6 thus far in 2024.
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