By By Chandler Myers
Jon Dean went 3-for-4 and had two stolen bases, while Nick Mills pitched six innings and struck out nine batters in the Escambia Academy Cougars’ 4-0 loss to the Fort Dale Academy Eagles on Thursday.
The Cougars (1-1) suffered their first loss of the season after opening up with a win at Patrician Academy on Monday.
The Cougars and Fort Dale Eagles battled back-and-forth throughout the game, but the Cougars could not advance any runners past third base.
Dean paced the Cougars with his performance and hit a double and two singles and stole two bases in the loss.
The Eagles picked up their first run in the top of the first as their leadoff batter reached base on an error.
The Cougars could not answer the run in the in the first two innings as two runners were stranded on base in the first inning and the side was put down on strikes in in the second inning.
Fort Dale added one run in the third inning and two in the fifth inning to wrap up their victory against the Cougars.
Cougars shortstop Jeff Price had a 1-for-3 performance at the plate with a single. Dustin Brown and Nick Mills combined for a 2-for-6 day at the plate with two singles.
Escambia 4
Patrician 2
Escambia Academy Cougars senior pitcher Jeff Price put on a Cy Young worthy performance on Monday as he struck out 18-of-21 batters he faced en route to a 4-2 Cougars win at Patrician Academy.
The Cougars (1-0) started the game strong as Price in an unusual situation struck out four batters in the first inning with one runner reaching base on an error and scoring off another Saints’ single.
Cougars second baseman Jon Dean led off the game by reaching base on an error in the first inning, and he was advanced a cross the plate by Jarret Hadley’s single. Dean went 2-for-4 in the game with two runs scored and a stolen base, while Hadley was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
The Cougars gave up their final run in the second inning as another Saint batter reached base and was advanced by a teammates single.
The rest of the game was a different story as Price mowed down every batter he faced after the Saints took a 2-1 lead.
In the fifth inning, the Cougars took control of the game with Dean, Price and Keaton Maher all scoring runs for the Cougars.
Price went 2-for-3 in the win with two singles and a run scored. Maher was 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored.
Other Cougars to record hits were Dustin Brown (2-for-3) and Cody Ware (1-for-1).