Columbia Academy head coach Heath Smith didn’t want the Cougars going into the playoffs on a long rest, and his decision to add a few more games to the end of the schedule paid off.
Had the Cougars stayed with their original schedule they would have had a 10-day layoff before their first playoff game after losing their last two games, yet earning a first-round bye as MAIS AAA District 4 champs. Instead the Cougars will be riding high into the playoffs on a three-game winning streak, all coming against quality competition.
The Cougars (15-15) match up with Central Private School (20-10) in the second round after Central Private swept St. Aloysius 2-0 last week. Smith said the Rebels have some talent they can roll out on the mound.
“They have a (University of New Orleans) commit who’s a junior and is supposed to have a big arm,” he said. “Then they have a left-handed pitcher who has really shut down some good ball clubs.”
While Smith knows what to expect from Central Private with its pitching, he said the Rebels graduated six position players since they played Columbia Academy last season and the second-round series wouldn’t be a familiar matchup for the Cougars.
Central Private hosted Game 1 Tuesday night in Baker, La., but results were unavailable at press time. The Cougars will host Games 2 and 3, if necessary, Friday which could pay big dividends.
“I’m a big fan of playing on the road because I like that atmosphere and the mindset you need going into road games, but our kids this year really like home games,” he said. “I feel like they’ve played better at home so having Games 2 and 3 could be really big for us.”
Columbia Academy got the winning streak rolling April 24 at Simpson Academy after a five-run sixth propelled the Cougars to a 7-3 victory.
Slade Wilks launched a solo homer, Aaron Thomas and Colby Thompson drove in two runs apiece and Ras Pace and Harrison Hartzog both had two hits. It was Thomas’s right arm that made the biggest difference, though, as the senior delivered six innings of one-run ball to pick up the win.
The Cougars got the best of both worlds in the first half of their doubleheader Friday against Centreville Academy. Columbia Academy lit up the scoreboard with a nine-run first and cruised to a 16-3 win over the visiting Tigers.
Wilks, a sophomore, launched long balls No. 13 and 14 in the rout, tying his total as a freshman, and is now just two homers shy of setting a new single-season home run record at Columbia Academy. Luke McKenzie (15), Wilks (14) and Wiley Cleland (13) all broke the previous record in 2017, but Wilks has a chance to sit atop the leaderboard and do so as an underclassman.
Wilks wasn’t the only Cougar to go deep against Centreville, though, as Hartzog ripped the first of his career and drove in a career-high five runs on two more hits and a sacrifice fly. Drew Havard had a single, a double and an RBI, and Thomas roped a two-run double.
“We’re starting to get people into spots in the batting order where they are comfortable and can get pitches they can drive. We’re starting some lefties at the top to take away right-handed breaking balls as early as possible and get Aaron and Harrison some fastballs,” Smith said. “Both of them had really good nights last week. Harrison is really stepping at a time when we need him to and bringing some senior leadership.”
Tate Duncan lasted 3 2/3 innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits and three walks.
In the nightcap of the doubleheader Friday against Simpson, the Cougars rode the right arm of ace Chance Forbes to a 3-2 victory and kept their momentum rolling.
CA managed just three hits in the rematch with Hartzog plating two runs, and Wilks walking twice and being hit by a pitch, but Forbes was just dominant enough. He struck out 11 batters in six innings, allowing two unearned runs, while Wilks closed the door in the seventh with two strikeouts.
The three starters, who will likely be the trio for the playoff starting rotation, combined for 15 2/3 innings, 16 strikeouts and allowed just three earned runs. Smith believes his pitching staff is playoff ready.
“We’ve talked about Forbes all year, but each week Aaron and Tate have gotten better with each game they’ve started on the mound,” he said. “Out of the bullpen Ras Pace was able to come up in a big situation at Simpson and get out of it, Slade did it Friday as well. It’s nice when all three games last week were closed by somebody outside of the two guys with the most wins. It’s nice to see some other guys get some outs. As we start this run in the playoffs pitching depth is going to be key.”
Pictured Above: CA pitcher Tate Duncan throws a breaking pitch. | Photo by Mark Rogers
