Relative inexperience and inconsistency have gone hand-and-hand through Columbia Academy’s first 20 games, but the Cougars can still easily get into the playoffs if they start doing what head coach Keith Stanley has preached all season — play with energy and effort.
After falling 7-5 in Game 1 of a three-game district series against Bowling Green, Columbia Academy’s bats went cold during a road doubleheader Friday, leading to a pair of losses. The Cougars (6-14, 2-3) lost Game 2 of the series 4-1 and the final game 7-3 in Franklinton, La.
“We’re not playing our brand of baseball right now. We talked about all year preaching energy and effort, and we just haven’t had it,” Stanley said. “We’re making mental errors, and we’re not very focused. We have to get tougher mentally. That’s the big thing right now. We’re trying to make these kids a little tougher mentally so they can handle failure. We’re just not doing well with it right now. I think we’re pitching well enough to win some games. We’re just not hitting it well. I don’t want to say that we’re in a slump, but I’ll just say were in a funk right now.”
The Cougars had just one hit in the 4-1 loss and three in the 7-3 loss. Stanley said to break out of the “funk,” it’s going to take a little grit and leadership.
“We’re all young, and we’re all inexperienced. Hits are contagious and I think once someone sees someone else barrel something up, we’re all going to start barreling it up, and we’ll start doing some things better offensively,” he said. “Until then we just have to get mentally tougher. When we strike out we’ll hang our heads for four innings, and that’s just not going to do us any good. I think I think we’re ready to turn the page. The kids have a better attitude this week, and I’m looking forward to seeing this play out this week.”
Columbia Academy started a very important series Tuesday night when it played host to Lamar Christian (4-12, 1-5). Results were unavailable at press time for Game 1, but the Cougars will play Lamar Christian in a doubleheader Friday to finish up the three-game district series. CA has the opportunity to effectively eliminate Lamar Christian with a sweep and clinch a playoff berth in the process.
“It’s going to come down to what we’ve talked about all year, pitching and defense,” Stanley said. “If we catch it defensively and throw strikes on the mound, I think we’ll be fine. We have to be able to handle when something bad happens. I’ve been banging that into their heads for about a week-and-a-half now, so I hope they understand it.”
Stanley said Lamar ace Cade Mattison, who is the coach’s son and is committed to Jones, is very talented and throws in the upper 80s.
“If we can hit him, then I feel good about the series,” he said. “From what people have been telling me, he’s a big-time arm. We’re going to have to get through him before anybody.”
The Cougars will play a makeup game Monday at Amite School Center to finish that district series. They beat ASC 8-1 and 12-1 in their two previous matchups March 5.
