Lady Crusaders Are State Champions!
The Robert Toombs Christian Academy Lady Crusaders are State Champions. After a five game run through the GIAA State Playoffs, the Crusaders defeated Thomas Jefferson on Saturday in Columbus to claim the title.
RTCA beat Crisp Academy, lost to Thomas Jefferson to fall into the losers' bracket, but then bounced back with a win over David Emanuel Academy, and beat Thomas Jefferson twice in the Championship to take home the title. vs. Crisp
The run started on Thursday against the Wildcats of Crisp. RTCA put three runs on the board in the top of the first innig to take the early lead, and never looked back. They added three more in the second to take a 6-0 lead.
One more run came for RTCA in the top of the fourth continued from page
inning, and then another in the fifth to put them on top 8-0. RTCA held in the bottom of the fifth to take the game by the run rule, 8-0.
Mereidith Durden and Bree Wimberly both drove in two runs in the game to lead the way at the plate. Durden also got the win in the circle with 8 strikeouts. vs. TJ
It was a battle that went to extra innings on Friday between the Crusaders and the Jaguars of Thomas Jefferson.
TJ came out with four runs in the top of the second inning. RTCA plated a run in the third inning and another in the fifth to close the lead to 4-2. The Crusaders finally came back in the bottom of the seventh inning with two more runs to tie the game at 4-4 to force extra innings.
But in the top of the eighth inning Thomas Jefferson got one run across, and then kept RTCA off the board in the bottom of the frame to take the, 5-4, win. That sent RTCA into the losers' bracket.
RTCA did get 2 RBI's from Railee Thomas in the game to lead them at the plate. Durden pitched well in the game with 9 strikouts, but a couple of errors cost them in the field. vs. DEA
RTCA bounced back in the next game as they took on the Eagles of DEA on Friday. RTCA jumped out with four runs in the top of the first inning, and added another in the second to take an early 5-0 lead. The Crusaders scored another in the fourth inning, but DEA plated two runs in the bottom half to close the lead to 6-2. RTCA answered with two more in the fifth inning to pull out to an 8-2 lead. DEA did get two more runs in the sixth inning, but that was as close as they got with RTCA taking the win, 8-4.
Wimberly drove in 2 runs in the game with three other picking up 1 RBI. It was Druden again in the circle as she got the win with 6 strikeouts in the game. vs. TJ Championship Game 1 RTCA fought their way to a win in Game 1 to force a second game. In Game 1 it was scoreless through the first two innings before RTCA plated two runs in the top of the third inning to take the lead. The Jaguars answered with three runs in the bottom of the third to jump on top, 3-2.
TJ scored another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to push the lead to 4-2, but in the top of the fifth RTCA scored two more to tie the game at 4-4. The Jaguars again took the lead as they got two more runs across in the bottom of the fifth inning to make it, 6-4.
RTCA took their first lead of the game in the top of the sixth inning with three runs to go ahead, 7-6, on the Jaguars. Thomas Jefferson tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the sixth inning, but in the top of the seventh RTCA plated two more runs as they went on top, 9-7.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Durden struck out the first batter, then the second flew out to center field. The final out came on an infield popup, giving RTCA the 9-7 win to force a Game 2.
Haylie Kight led the way at the plate with 3 RBI's. Thomas and Durden each drove in 2 runs for RTCA as well. Durden had 7 strikeouts in the win. vs. TJ Championship Game 2 In Game 2, it was all RTCA as they rolled to a five inning, run rule, win. RTCA jumped on top with four runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back. They scored five more in the second inning to take a big 9-0 lead over the Jaguars.
Thomas Jefferson got on the board with one run in the bottom of the fourth inning, but that was all they could score as Durden and the defense kept them in check all game. RTCA added a run in the fourth and then two more in the top of the fifth inning on the way to a 12-1 win to win the State Championship.
Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit in the game for RTCA. Kight had 4 hits, Maddie Joyner, Wimberly and Leighton Williams all added 3 hits in the game.
The Championship, the first for the Lady Crusaders since 2008, capped off a 16-10 year overall as they won 8 of their final 12 games.
