They lost the season opener to a very good Heritage Academy team, but it hasn’t knocked Winston Academy baseball down for long.
Since that loss, the Patriots have reeled off four-straight wins including a 3-0 week last week. Following a victory over Washington to end the first week of the season, the Pats managed to take home three victories by a combined score of 39-6 to improve to 4-1 on the young season.
“We’re improving,” coach Charlie Smith said. “Getting to play and getting more at bats is going to help us. We’ve seen three Division 1 pitchers in the first three games and it lightened up a bit. We just have to get more consistent. Since game one we’ve played really good defense. I've really been impressed with our pitching.”
day against Pillow Academy. Going up against a stout starting pitcher, Winston scored four runs in the fourth inning to get some cushion and build a 8-1 lead eventually before taking home the 8-4 victory.
WA pounded out 11 hits in the game as Brylee Wall, Braxton Wall, Trey Williamson and Jett Joiner all had two hits in the win. Wall drove in four RBI with a double while Williamson had two doubles. Hayze Gregory started the game and earned the win as he pitched 3.0 innings, surrendered one hit, one run, walked just one batter and struck out eight.
Aiden Fancher closed out the game and got the save after the Pats gave up three runs in the bottom of the seventh.
It took just two innings for the Patriots to take care of Calhoun Academy. WA scored nine runs in the first and seven in the second for a run-rule 16-0 victory. Wall struck out four batters and walked one in 3.0 innings pitched as he got the win and threw a no-hitter.
Offensively, Williamson knocked two more doubles and had four RBI in the victory.
“He is hammering the baseball,” Smith said. “He and Brylee Wall are seeing the baseball about as well as anybody I’ve ever coached in the first five ball games. Trey stays tights with his hands and drive the ball gap to gap. He does a really good job of it. He’s one of those kids whose timing seems to be right quite often.”
Against Manchester, the Pats were tied at 2-2 through two innings before the offense really came alive and the pitching shut things down. WA scored three runs in the third and had a seven-run sixth inning to get a run-rule win in six innings, 15-2.
Wall went 3-for-4 in the win as did Williamson who had a game-high three RBI and yet again had a double. Fancher was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI and Jett Joiner and Max Fulcher both had two hits as well.
Gregory got the start again and pitched 2.0 innings with three hits, two runs, two walks and two strikeouts. Sophomore Bryson Wright shut things down with 4.0 innings, giving up just one hit, no runs, one walk while striking out six.
“He’s got a chance to be really special at 6’5 and has a chance to get some more strength,” Smith said of Wright. “He throws all three pitches for strikes and whenever he gets some velocity he will be unreal.”
Games this week will be iffy with rain pouring through the northern half of the state. A matchup with Oak Hill Academy on Tuesday was doubtful and the Pats will play at Marshall Academy on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and at Hatley on Saturday at 2 p.m.
