Saturday Momentum Fails to Carry Over to the ‘Burg

RWA’s Sidney Edenfield crashes into third during Saturday’s game against Heathwood Hall

After taking SCISA Class 3A Heathwood Hall to the woodshed Saturday, the Richard Winn Academy Nine continue to find themselves behind the goose egg in region play, getting edged out in the final inning at Spartanburg Day School Tuesday.

The Eagles held a 6-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, having tacked on a pair in the top half of the frame to bust a 4-4 tie. Eagles’ starter Patrick Pope was in command, striking out the first Griffin batter. An infield error, however, allowed the second batter to reach first, but Pope answered with another strikeout, his fifth of the night. Then Pope gave up back-to-back singles to load the bases, and Spartanburg’s Sam Foster came to the plate, hitless for the evening. But Foster broke the spell and ripped the Eagles’ first region win out of their hands, stroking a bases-clearing double to end the game.

Pope scattered eight hits through his complete workout, with only two of his seven runs earned. Spartanburg Day’s Harrison Flynn also went seven, giving up nine hits, a walk and striking out seven. Flynn stranded six Eagles on the base paths, while the Griffins left only four men on the pond.

Pope was also 2-for-4 at the plate with a double, a stolen base and two runs scored. Corey Davis went 2-for-4 as well, with an RBI and one run scored. Austin Knox and Sidney Edenfield each went 1-for-3, with Edenfield scoring a run and driving in a run. Cameron Cooper was 1-for-4 with a run scored and Matt Taylor was a hefty 3-for-4 with a run.

Saturday’s afternoon affair against the Highlanders should have been a huge momentum builder going into Tuesday’s region match, as the Eagles hammered Heathwood 11-5 in Winnsboro. Richard Winn opened up a 3-2 lead after one and extended that lead by scoring runs in every inning, adding three more in the second, a pair in the third and one in fourth, fifth and sixth.

Jason Branham got the win with five innings of work on the mound, giving up four runs, none of which were earned. Branham surrendered seven hits, three walks and hit one batter while striking out a pair. Elijah Tucker closed things out with two innings of work, giving up one unearned run on one hit, two walks, four strikeouts and two hit batters.

Reid Phillips took the loss for the Highlanders, lasting only two innings. Three of his six runs were earned as he gave up five hits, two walks and hit one batter while striking out three. Matt Walden worked the remaining four innings, giving up five runs (one earned) on six hits, two walks, one hit batter and four strikeouts.

The Eagles put in a full day at the plate, led by Pope who went 3-for-4 with a double and a solo home run in the fifth. He also had two RBIs and scored three times. Davis, Branham and Hampton Caughman each went 1-for-3, with Davis notching two RBIs and scoring twice. Branham delivered an RBI and scored a run. Cooper and Tucker went 1-for-4 each, both with an RBI and Tucker adding a run. Edenfield went 2-for-4, with two RBIs and two runs scored. Reid Johnson was 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI.

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