Cougars end season in quarterfinals
Published 12:02 am Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Escambia Academy ended its baseball season, falling 12-1 to No. 3 Macon East Academy on April 28 in a third game of an AISA Class 2A Quarterfinal series.
The Cougars split with the Knights, taking the first game 2-1 before falling in the second game 17-4 the night before.
In the end, EA’s younger guys stepped up to the plate for the third game. The game was close at the start, but MEA broke the game wide open after the third inning.
“We were just outmatched a little bit,” EA coach John Fields said. “We had to go with some young guys on pitching. Macon East is a really good team. They hit the ball real well. We just couldn’t hold on. We helped them out with some errors.”
Fields said he appreciated the effort and support the players, the parents, EA Athletic Director Hugh Fountain and Headmaster Wade Heigel gave him during the season.
The Cougars ended their season 13-15.
MEA 17, EA 4
The Knights scored two runs in the first inning, one run in the second, four runs in the fourth, five runs in the fifth, one run in the sixth and four runs in the seventh.
Macon East’s Nick Fitzgerald allowed four earned runs and one hit in 4.1 innings to earn the win for the Knights.
Seth Meadows went 3-for-5 with three RBIs to lead MEA. Jacob Johns went 2-for-5 with two RBIs; Connor Owens went 1-for-3 with two RBIs; Will Dowe went 2-for-5 with two RBIs; and Tyson Tubbs had an RBI.
EA’s Fred Flavors went 1-for-2 with two RBIs to lead the Cougars. Ryan Johnson, Drew Parker and Kainoa Gumapac had one hit each.
EA 2, MEa 1
Parker threw a complete game, struck out four and allowed one run on five hits to earn the win.
Parker had solid defense behind him throughout the game. MEA eight runners on base during the game.