The Richard Winn Academy Eagles baseball team took one on the chin Thursday night (March 28) as they opened region play with a 3-1 loss at home to Spartanburg Day School. The Eagles banged out 10 hits against Griffin pitching, but stranded 12 base runners in the effort.
Patrick Pope was saddled with the loss, although the Eagles were only trailing 1-0 when Cameron Cooper came on in relief in the sixth. Pope worked five innings, giving up one run on one hit with four walks and four strikeouts. Pope also plunked one batter. Cooper worked the final two frames, giving up two earned runs on two hits, a walk and two hit batters.
The game was scoreless through three complete before the Griffins were able to get on the board with a run in the top of the fourth. Spartanburg Day plated two more in the top of the sixth.
Elijah Tucker doubled for the Eagles in the bottom of the sixth and his pinch runner, Hampton Caughman, eventually came around to score the only Eagle run when Sidney Edenfield was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Eagles left the bases full in both the sixth and seventh innings, with only one run to show for their troubles.
Tucker was 3-for-3 for the Academy on the night, while Pope, Corey Davis, Austin Knox, Jason Branham and Matt Taylor each went 1-for-4. Cooper was 1-for-3 and Edenfield 1-for-2.
After an April 4 spring break game at Winthrop University against St. Mary’s of Annapolis, Md., Richard Winn returns home April 9 to host Greenwood Christian, then travels to Spartanburg Christian April 11 in region contests.