The Columbia Academy Cougars (5-7) are closing in quickly on district play but are still working out the kinks in their de facto preseason.
The Cougars went down to the Coast March 15 to participate in the Battle at the Beach and were expected to play two games Thursday and one on Friday, but Friday’s contest against Christian Brothers (Tenn.) was rained out.
Columbia Academy took care of business in its afternoon matchup with Amite School Center at St. Martin, scoring two runs in each of the first, fourth and fifth innings then struck for nine in the seventh for a 15-0 win.
The Cougars bashed 10 hits with Drew Havard (2 RBI), Tate Duncan (2 RBI) and Harrison Hartzog connecting for two hits each. Chance Forbes, though, stole the show on the mound, pitching a two-hit complete game shutout and striking out 12.
In the nightcap against Pascagoula the bats stayed hot as the Cougars cruised to a run-rule shortened 12-2 win in just four innings. Aaron Thomas pitched all four innings, allowing one earned on four hits and one walk.
Ethan Stringer went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI, Slade Wilks went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Colby Thompson and Hartzog both had two-run singles. Through the Cougars two wins at St. Martin, they had a combined 19 walks and 19 hits with only one going for extra bases. It’s a big change for the Cougars who led the nation with 61 home runs last year, and head coach Heath Smith said it’s crucial Columbia Academy’s lineup is consistent from top to bottom.
“Last year there were two or three innings in a game that could win the game for us. This year we have to stay grinding from the first inning to the last. We really don’t need zeroes up there in any inning. We need to scratch (across) a run or two each inning,” he said. “Last week I felt we did a really good job of competing throughout the at-bats in each inning. It’s a lot different than last year when we were able to rely on power.”
The Cougars traveled to McComb Monday night and ran into a buzz saw with a 15-1 loss to Parklane Academy. The Pioneers hung 12 runs on Columbia Academy in the third inning as the Cougars needed three pitchers to get out of the inning.
Tate Duncan started and took the loss for the Cougars, pitching two-plus innings and allowing six runs, five earned, on three hits and five walks. Thomas relieved him but managed just one out and surrendered eight runs, four earned, on seven hits and no walks. Wilks entered the game and was able to stop the bleeding, striking out both batters he faced, but the damage was already done. Smith said last week Thomas and Duncan were needing to get stretched out after coming in late from basketball to fill in behind Forbes in the rotation but wasn’t discouraged by their rocky outings.
“Both of their strike percentages were up. Parklane got in a groove in the third, and we just couldn’t get outs. We made a few defensive blunders, then once they got rolling they strung together some hits. They hit a few balls hard, but we threw strikes,” he said. “The balls they put in play either found a hole or we kicked it around.”
The Cougars hosted Presbyterian Christian Tuesday night, but results were unavailable at press time. They will play a doubleheader Saturday at PCS, taking on West Jones at 11 a.m. and the host school at 3 p.m.
The doubleheader is the last two games the Cougars play before beginning district play Monday against Laurel Christian, and Smith is hoping to get a few wins against more familiar opponents.
“We’re going to try to get back to a winning way and keep competing,” he said. “(Monday) night was a little different atmosphere, playing a team that’s been a rival and has one of the best teams they’ve had in several years. We need to get back to competing and play against familiar opponents. The last few weeks we’ve played some unfamiliar opponents but showed up and played well.”
The Cougars district has changed drastically this season. Last year they played in one of the toughest district in MAIS from top to bottom, according to Smith, but the new district will present some challenges as well.
“Wayne Academy, for a few years, has been the runner up in AA. Going back as long as the two schools have been around there’s been a huge rivalry with Bowling Green. We’re familiar with Laurel Christian, which hasn’t graduated a pitcher in two years,” Smith said. “So we look for Laurel Christian to be able to pitch, Bowling Green to be an intense rivalry and Wayne Academy to be a really good ball club. But if we handle business and show up to play like I know we can, we look to make a run at the playoffs.”
Pictured Above: Columbia Academy's Slade Wilks prepares to uncork a fastball. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
