Eagles’ skid continues against Greenwood Christian

RWA’s Reid Johnson goes into third head-first Tuesday against Greenwood Christian.

After winning eight of their first 10 games, the Richard Winn Academy Eagles baseball team has fallen on hard times, dropping four in a row, including Tuesday night’s SCISA Region III 2-A showdown against Greenwood Christian, 6-5.

After being up the entire game, and leading 6-4 going into the seventh and final inning, Eagle reliever Sidney Edenfield gave up a leadoff double then hit a batter, setting the table for a dramatic Hawks’ comeback. Patrick Pope came in to put out the fire, but an infield error by the Eagles allowed both runners to score, giving the Hawks a late 6-5 lead that they would not surrender.

Greenwood’s Noah Hinzman went all seven for the Hawks, getting better as the game went on. Hinzman gave up five runs on five hits while walking three and striking out 11 Eagles. Richard Winn scored one run in the bottom of the first and two in both the second and third innings before Hinzman settled in and went to work, holding the Eagles scoreless for the final four frames.

For Richard Winn, Austin Knox went five innings, giving up four runs on four hits, two walks, three strikeouts and one hit batsman. Only one of Knox’s runs was earned. Edenfield was saddled with the loss, working one complete inning and facing two batters in the seventh. Edenfield was charged with two runs, a hit, a strikeout and one hit batsman. Pope struck out two and gave up one hit in his one inning of work.

Pope also went 1-for-4 at the plate, as did Knox and Matt Taylor. Edenfield went 1-for-2 with a double and Cameron Cooper also went 1-for-2. The Eagles stranded six base runners Tuesday while their defense committed seven errors.

Saturday, the Eagles fell 6-4 to St. Mary’s High School of Annapolis, Md., who was barnstorming through the South on their spring break, at Indian Land High School. The Eagles used six pitchers in the exhibition style game, with starter Edenfield getting tagged for the loss. Edenfield gave up two runs on two hits and a walk in his inning of work Saturday. Pope tossed the only scoreless inning for the Eagles in the second. The Saints scratched out another run against Cooper in the third and somehow managed only a single run off Blake Pauley in the fourth. Pauley faced six batters in the two-thirds of an inning of work, walking all but one. Jason Branham finished off the fourth and worked the fifth, giving up a run, while Knox gave up the final Saints’ run in the sixth.

Knox went 4-for-4 at the plate with a double and two RBIs as the Eagles mounted a small rally in the top of the seventh. Down 6-1, Richard Winn cobbled together three runs in the final inning, and had a runner on third when the final out was called.

Pope went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double and a stolen base. Ron Price went 1-for-2, while Taylor and John Coleman each went 1-for-1.

Chase Gorski threw five scoreless innings for the Saints, giving up four hits, one walk and striking out seven. Max Hammond gave up one run on two hits in the sixth, striking out two Eagles, and Elliot t gave up three in the seventh on two hits and two walks, fanning three.

The Eagles traveled to Spartanburg Christian Thursday night in search of their first region win and return home Saturday for a non-region game against Heathwood Hall at noon.

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