The CCA Patriots have won two of their last three games, including an emphatic 9-0 win over the Charlton County Indians last Saturday morning. Later Saturday, the Stratford Academy Eagles handed the Patriots their first defeat of the season, 19-5. Monday, the Patriots returned their winning ways with a 15-0 four-inning win over the Grace Christian Academy Cougars.
Saturday, the Patriots hosted the Indians and the Eagles for a day of baseball at Patriot Field. The slate began well enough for CCA. Behind a potent offensive performance that tallied nine runs on 13 hits, four of which went for extra bases, as well as another dominating performance from starter Blake Bryant, the Patriots defeated one of the GHSA’s best Class A teams (and a team ranked #21 in the ITG Next all-classification poll).
CCA jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third when Gray McLean singled in Mason Spivey then Thomas Gentry hit a two-run home run. The Patriots scored four more in the fifth, which featured a triple by Gentry to start the rally as well as RBI singles by Bryant, a bases-loaded hit by pitch with Jackson Knight at the plate, and a two-RBI single off the bat of Jonah Hall. The home team added an insurance run in the sixth on a two-out single by Clay Phillips that scored Cayden Hall, who was running for Bryant.
Gentry, Bryant, and Skyler Woods each had two hits. Gentry’s two hits both went for extra bases – a home run and a triple.
Bryant handled the pitching duties all by himself, throwing 97 pitches in a complete game one-hit shutout. He struck out 17 and walked two.
The afternoon tilt went in another direction. The Eagles took the lead in the first and never looked back. The Patriots trailed 2-1 after the first inning. Stratford added four in the third, two in the fourth, six in the sixth, and five in the seventh to win 19-5. CCA narrowed the lead to 8-5 in the fifth when Bryant hit a three-run home run. That, however, was the last bright spot the Patriots would enjoy.
Bryant was 3-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. He was the only Patriot with multiple hits. Four pitchers took the mound with the loss going to Sam Ables, who surrendered five runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked one. Spivey and Woods threw two innings while Tyson Crosby pitched the final inning.
Monday, CCA returned to its winning ways with a 15-0 four-inning win over Grace Christian Academy at Patriot Field. Gentry threw a no-hitter, striking out 11 and walking one. He was 2-3 with three RBI. Bryant homered again (his third of the year) and Knight had two hits, two RBI, and a run scored.
The Patriots travel to Hinesville for another region contest against First Preparatory. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. CCA is 8-1 overall and 2-0 in region play.
