Eagles Sweep FPCA to Even Region Record

The Vidalia Heritage Academy Eagles baseball team found their rhythm at exactly the right time last week, putting together a crucial three-game Region sweep against the First Preparatory Christian Academy Highlanders. The trio of victories bumps the Eagles to a winning 11-9 overall record and evens their Region mark at a competitive 3-3 heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

Game 1

They opened the series at home on Monday and had to dig deep to pull out the victory. FPCA jumped out to an early advantage, plating two runs in the second inning and adding another pair in the third to build a 4-0 lead.

The Eagles stayed quiet until the bottom of the sixth, when the bats finally woke up to push three runs across and narrow the gap to 4-3. In the bottom of the seventh, Jake Adams stepped up and drove in the tying run, keeping the inning alive for Levi McDade. Mc-Dade didn't miss his pitch, driving a walk-off RBI single into center field to cap the comeback and hand VHA a hard-fought 5-4 win.

Game 2

Carrying that lategame momentum into Hinesville on Tuesday, the Eagles left no doubt in game two, cruising to a 12-2 rout. Heritage got to work in the top of the second when Maddyx Herrin drove in a run with a single and Trevor White added a sacrifice fly to help build a 3-0 lead.

After the Highlanders managed a run in the bottom half of the inning, VHA blew the doors off in the third. The Eagles hung five runs on the board in the frame, fueled by a tworun double from Pearson O'Neal and back-to-back RBI doubles from Herrin and White. After trading runs in the middle innings, White put the exclamation point on the blowout with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh.

Game 3

Back in Vidalia for the series finale on Thursday, it took another late rally to secure the sweep. White stayed hot, giving the Eagles an early 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. FPCA proved resilient, tying the game in the third and then taking a 4-2 lead with a pair of runs in the fifth.

Heritage answered the bell in the bottom of the sixth. Bragg Alford and Bridge Bass laced consecutive RBI doubles to tie the game, setting the table for Adams, who came through in the clutch once again with a two-run single. The VHA defense locked it down in the seventh to secure the 6-4 victory.

With the sweep in the rearview, the Eagles are now focused on a critical three-game Region series against Robert Toombs to close out the regular season. VHA traveled to RTCA for a doubleheader on Monday (played after presstime) and will wrap up the series at home this Thursday in Vidalia with first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m.