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AMERICUS – The Southland Academy Raiders (SAR) earned a much-needed 4-0 victory over the Brookwood Warriors thanks to another outstanding pitching performance by SAR senior pitcher Chase Ledger. Ledger was almost unhittable, as he posted 12 strikeouts on the day in leading SAR to victory on Thursday, March 16, at Raider Park.

Coming into this game, the Raiders (4-3) were on a three-game losing streak, with the third of those losses coming in a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to the Warriors in Thomasville two days before.

“Tuesday was a heartbreaker, but we knew that coming into the season that every game in region play is going to be absolutely tough,” SAR Head Coach John Brady said. “Tuesday and today were no exceptions. We’ve got good teams all through the region.”

Ledger went the entire way for the Raiders. He pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up just two hits, while striking out 12 BKW batters and walking one. “Chase was awesome today,” Brady said. “Chase did what you want your #1 pitcher to do. He attacked the strike zone. He was him. We almost expect that out of him now when he goes to the mound. We needed a win because we had lost three in a row, so that’s what you want your #1 guy to do is go out and get you a win when you’re on the skids a little bit and he (Ledger) was good. Defensively, we were great and tremendous. We got some timely hits, which we didn’t get Tuesday. We didn’t strike out but a hand full of times. We had good at bats, good swings and that’s what it’s going to take to win games in our region…being able to move runners and do the little things right. I’m super proud after what happened Tuesday.
If we keep pitching like this and play good defense, we will have a chance to do great things,” Brady continued.

After two scoreless innings, the Raiders broke through with two runs on four hits in the bottom of the third. With one out, Luke Tarrer, Henry Johnson and Ledger had three consecutive singles, with Ledger driving in the first run of the game. Shortly thereafter with two outs, Perry Usher gave the Raiders a 2-0 lead on an RBI single.
Two more scoreless innings would pass before SAR added to its lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.

After Ledger reached in an error to begin the frame, Camden Rodgers drove in courtesy runner Mack McMichael on an RBI single and Luke Exley would later drive in Rogers on an RBI single for SAR’s final insurance run.
In the top of the seventh, BKW’s Zack Count singled off Ledger to lead things off for the Warriors, but Ledger was able to strike out three of the next four batters he faced to secure the 4-0 win for the Raiders.

Both Ledger and Henry Johnson each went 2 for 3 at the plate to lead the SAR offense, while Rodgers, Usher and Exley each went 1 for 3 with an RBI.

The Raiders will try to build on this success when they travel to Woodbury, GA on Monday, March 20, to take on Flint River Academy. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.