The Columbia Academy Cougars (2-4) found themselves in two extremely close ball games last week with the game on the line in the final at-bats.
Squaring off against crosstown foe West Marion at home Friday night, the Cougars were unable to rise to the occasion in an electric atmosphere, falling 5-1 in extra innings.
Columbia Academy and West Marion entered the eighth inning tied 1-1, but the wheels fell off for the Cougars as Slade Wilks allowed four runs, three earned, on one hit and three walks in 1/3 of an inning.
“Tip your hat to West Marion. That’s a really good ball club. Going late into the game, I think our inexperience showed up there in the eighth, asking people to do things they haven’t done at the varsity level yet,” head coach Heath Smith said. “It was a great atmosphere. West Marion traveled well, and it gave the fans and community what they wanted to see. It was a good game, just unfortunate we weren’t able to close it out at the end.”
Chance Forbes whirled a gem, allowing just one run on two hits and three walks while striking out six, but the Cougars managed just one hit off Pearl River Community College signee Trace McNabb, who struck out 11.
“You have to tip your hat to McNabb. He threw a great game,” Smith said. “He’s a completely different pitcher than he was last year. He definitely pitched well. But I feel like with every game we play we’re going to get in a better rhythm. Those guys are starting to get more varsity at-bats and are starting to get more comfortable. Even against McNabb we looked more composed in the box. He just did a great job of continuing to get us out.”
The following afternoon, however, the Cougars rose to the occasion with the game on the line. After allowing a 6-4 lead slip through their grasp in the sixth inning by giving up four runs to Silliman Institute, Ras Pace delivered in a big way.
The Cougars had already pulled within one when Pace stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded, but he put a charge into the ball for a walk-off grand slam and his first career home run to give the Cougars an 11-8 win.
“Less than 24 hours later to be locked into a tight game and see the guys who didn’t get to hit or didn’t get the hit we needed (against West Marion) the night before and have a sophomore (Pace) step up there, as well as an eighth-grader (Chandler Carver) and ninth-grader (Robert Johnson) have big hits — seeing different people step up from a coaching standpoint, it’s something you want to see early (in the season),” Smith said. “It’s definitely a building block for us going forward in close ball games.”
Tate Duncan tossed three innings, allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits and three walks while striking out six and led CA at the plate with three hits and 2 RBI. Payton Burge drove in two runs on a single and sacrifice bunt, and Aaron Thomas picked up the win in two innings of relief and drove in two.
Up next for the Cougars is the Adidas Deep South Tournament in which they will play host to St. Stanislaus Thursday night at 6 and Spanish Fort (Ala.) at 6:30 Friday night.
“We just want to compete and be in it at the end,” Smith said of his goals for the tournament. “At the end of ball games is where we’re going to grow up. We’ve got to play well early and not lull in the middle. We want to get to the sixth and seventh innings within reach or protecting a lead and come back if needed.”
The tournament will extend into Saturday, but matchups will be determined by pool play.
Pictured Above: CA's Ras Pace smokes a single against Simpson Academy Feb. 22. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
