Rain put a halt to what was supposed to be a full week of competition for the Winston Academy Patriots baseball team, but the squad got a chance to get at least one game in against a really good ball club.
The Patriots were expected to play three games against ultra-talented Hartfield Academy last week beginning with a game at Winston and followed up by a double-header at Hartfield. The game at Winston didn’t happen and neither did the double-header, but Charlie Smith’s team did go down to Flowood to play one game.
So far on the season, Hartfield is undefeated with impressive wins over Heritage Academy and Jackson Prep. They have multiple players that will be playing baseball in the SEC in the near future and have emerged as one of the contenders for a state championship crown.
Last Tuesday, the Hawks jumped out to an early lead and the Patriots couldn’t put together enough offense in a 6-2 loss.
It was tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the second but the Hawks scored two runs in the second inning and another in the third to go up 4-1. They held down the Patriot offense most of the ball game and WA was only able to manufacture one more run in the seventh.
Errors continue to be an issue for WA as they had six more in this ball game and the offense only had one hit coming from Brylee Wall. Freshman JT McGinnis pitched in 5.0 innings and scattered six hits, three earned runs, two walks and a strikeout. Aiden Harper and Dalton Powell pitched the last two innings and gave up three runs but only one was earned. All three got some valuable experience as young pitchers moving forward.
WA (4-4) is now led in batting by senior Jody McCorkle who is hitting .533 with eight hits, 10 RBI, three doubles and a triple. Hunter Gregory is batting .500 and also has eight hits and five RBI. Another senior, Josh McGinnis is batting .348 and tied with McCorkle and Gregory with team-high eight hits and 10 RBI with three doubles.
On the mound, Wall has a 1.91 earned run average in three appearances with 11.0 innings, seven hits, seven walks and a team-best 14 strikeouts.
The Patriots were expected to be back in action on Monday at the East Central Community College Spring Break Tournament against Oak Hill Academy and on Wednesday at 11 a.m. against East Webster at the same event. WA also hosted East Webster on Monday.
This is the final week of action before district play begins with a vengeance against top ranked Heritage at home next week.
