The defending MAIS AAA State Champion Columbia Academy Cougars are adjusting on the fly after losing seven starters to graduation, four of whom also starred on the mound.
The Cougars (1-3) avenged their season-opening loss last Thursday with a 2-1 win over Simpson Academy in their first home game.
Chance Forbes was brilliant on the mound inducing ground ball after ground ball and allowing just two hits over seven innings of one-run ball. The Cougars got all the offense they needed in the bottom of the second inning as Colby Thompson stole home on a passed ball and Forbes drove in a run with a single to left field.
The CA offense sprang to life Monday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader Monday at Pearl River Community College with six runs on nine hits, but the Cougars struggled on the mound in a 10-6 loss to Silliman Institute.
Aaron Thomas drew the start but lasted just two innings after allowing seven runs, six earned, on six hits and two walks while striking out three. Lefty Drew Havard soaked up 4 1/3 innings in relief, allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits and five walks while striking out eight.
Slade Wilks, Harrison Hartzog and Havard each had two hits, while Tate Duncan had 2 RBI and Colby Thompson drove in a run on a double. Wilks connected for his second home run of the season, but the Cougars simply needed more with the struggles on the mound.
Those struggles compounded in the second half of the doubleheader as Forbes uncharacteristically walked five batters and hit five more in a 7-5 loss to Centreville Academy. Forbes lasted just three innings, snapping his streak of 11 straight starts of at least five innings dating back to last season, and allowed four runs. In the doubleheader the Cougars walked a combined 15 batters.
“We hit seven batters to go along with those 15 walks, so we gave 22 free passes. We just have to be more efficient throwing strikes,” head coach Heath Smith said. “We’re getting people 0-2 and trying to nibble at the corners. We have to be more aggressive, be in attack mode and quit wasting pitches on the mound.”
While the free passes are a concern, the Cougars are fielding a lot of untested arms on the bump.
“We have a lot of guys getting innings. (Monday) was something uncharacteristic of Chance Forbes. I don’t expect that each outing,” Smith said. “We look to him to get back on track and take the rest of the pitching staff with him.”
Despite scoring five runs against Centreville the Cougars managed just three hits, led by two Thompson singles, and put runs on the board by drawing nine walks.
“We’re swinging it right now but just not making contact at a real high rate. They’re staying aggressive but moving forward we’ll probably play a little bit more small ball,” Smith said. “We’re wanting to see who can swing it and who we’re going to want to play small ball with when the time comes.”
The Cougars were bound to look a lot different this season after losing nearly their entire starting lineup but even returners like Wilks, Hartzog and Thomas are seeing time at new positions. Wilks, who played in left field last season, has played some shortstop, while Hartzog has moved behind the plate from a utility role and Thomas has moved from the outfield to second base.
“Right now we’re kind of in evaluation mode as coaches and as players. We’re in a feeling out process. I’ve been happy the way everyone’s morale is with moving around the infield and outfield,” Smith said. “We played 15 different people in the doubleheader. We’re really just trying to get as many looks as early as possible for each player to try to get the best lineup out on the field as early as possible this season.”
The Cougars will return to their home field Friday night to play host to West Marion at 7.
Pictured Above: Chance Forbes releases a pitch against Simpson Academy. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
