SAND HILL – A five-run rally put French Camp in position to defeat Pisgah, but a five-run Pisgah rally resulted in a 9-5 victory for the Dragons. But even in defeat French Camp showed improvement from a 9-0 loss to the same team 15 days earlier.
“Over all we're figuring the game out,” said coach Nathan Wright. “We knew it would take some time. We're still trying to finalize our pitching.”
The Panthers scored five runs in the fifth for a 5-4 lead. Macon Bentley had a two-run single and Cody Perry a run-scoring single.
But Pisgah struck back with five in the sixth on two hits, three walks and an error that resulted in three unearned runs.
Three walks in the seventh brought the tying run to the plate for French Camp, but the game ended when Ethan Chesser flied out to center.
Pisgah scored three runs on wild patches. “That's been our Achilles' heel all year, WPs and PBs (passed balls),” Wright said.
Ethan Wright pitched the first four innings for French Camp, allowing four runs, and Chesser the last two. Ty Cothern picked up the win in relief of Austin Russell
“We have three (pitchers) right now we feel are doing a good job,” coach Wright said of Ethan Wright, Bentley and Perry. “We have to find another one. We're going to need some others down the road.”
Coach Wright said the Panthers have shown improvement at the plate. “We're doing a lot better job putting the bat on it. We're approaching the plate better.”
In an earlier game last week, French Camp lost to St. Andrew's, a strong 3A team, 14-5. Jack Hirchert did much of the damage for the Saints with two homers, a double and five RBIs. Rob Surrette had a single, double and one RBI and Chesser had two hits and scored two runs.
The Panthers began Region 5-1A play Tuesday with a game against Nanih Waiya. “I feel like we have done everything we can to get ready,” Wright said. “We have played good competition. This is a good Pisgah team. They swing the bat well. We have seen good pitching everywhere we have gone. We have seen just about everybody's ace. Now it is just a matter of putting it all together.”
French Camp will play Nanih Waiya for a second time Thursday on the road.
Three games set for GCS this week
By Cooper Sanders
And Austin Bishop
The Grace Christian School baseball season has gotten underway with the Eagles having three games scheduled for this week.
GCS was set to play Calhoun Academy Monday, Meridian Homeschool Tuesday and Kemper Academy Thursday.
Over the last two weeks — according to the schedule — the Eagles were to have played Louisville, Kemper Academy, Starkville Christian and Victory Christian. No scores or stats were reported for any of those contests.
The only score reported this season was the 6-3 season-opening loss to Calhoun Academy.
