Heritage Beats Rebels
The Eagles baseball team of Vidalia Heritage Academy, coming off of the Region Championship win over Citizens Christian last week, played in the first round of the GAPPS State A Playoffs last Friday at home. The Region Championship was the first ever for the high school as they just started their varsity program three years ago. On Friday the Eagles hosted John Hancock Academy in a best-of-three series with the Eagles sweeping to move on to the second round of the state playoffs.
Game 1
In the bottom of the third inning the Eagles got things going as they had put two runs on the board. They added another run with the bases loaded on a sacrifice fly by Jackson Williamson, and then made it 4-0 on a bunt by RJ Wells. Mason Beacham was on the mound for the Eagles and did a good job of keeping the oposing batters off balance.
In the fourth inning the Eagles again loaded the bases. Ethan Sikes drove in a run with a fielder's choice for a 5-0 lead with Jackson Poole scoring. In the fifth inning Hancock's Rebels picked up a run to make it 5-1, but the Eagles got out of the inning allowing just the one run.
The Rebels added three runs in the top of the fifth inning on several hits to close the lead to 5-4, but the Eagles got back to work in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Poole walked and then a hit by JT Cofield put runners at first and second. Ledger Curl hit a shot all the way to the fence for a sacrifice fly to move the runners up. Beacham walked to load the bases and then Sikes hit a chopper through the right side for two more Eagle runs, and a 7-4 lead. Williamson walked to load the bases, and then Wells walked for an 8-4 lead. Luke Moxley came through with a rip up the middle to push the lead to 10-4.
VHA closed them down in the seventh inning to take the win in Game 1, 10-4. Sikes led VHA with 3 RBI's, with Beacham getting 3 hits in the game and the win on the mound.
Game 2
In the second game Cofield got the win for the Eagles on the mound, but he did so thanks to one big inning on offense. The game was scoreless until the top of the third inning when the Eagles broke it open with five runs to take a 5-0 lead. Ledger Curl and Jackson Williamson each drove in two runs in the inning. The Rebels picked up a run in the bottom of the frame, but it was still 5-1, VHA. The Rebels picked up one more run in the game in the sixth inning, but VHA held on to get the win, 5-2. This week VHA will host Horizon Christian Academy on Friday with a double header as part of a best-of-three series. The first pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Ed Smith Complex.
