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From Staff Reports

 

MACON, GA – After their 20-4 drubbing of Fullington Academy last Thursday, the Southland Academy baseball team (SAR) continued to show their offensive fire power by outlasting Stratford Academy (SA) 10-7 on Saturday, April 1, in Macon.

The win improves the Raiders’ overall record to 7-5 and they are 2-2 in the GIAA Region 3-AAA standings.

The Raiders unleashed their firepower early by scoring six runs in the top of the first inning on three hits and they took advantage of three errors committed by SA.

Will Godwin and Mac McMichael each came up with RBI singles in this inning.

However, the Eagles responded with four runs of their own on three hits and they took advantage of an error in the bottom half of the inning.

In the top of the second, the Raiders took a 7-4 lead when Matthew Saint drove in Trey Sellers on an RBI single, but the Eagles once again responded with a run in the bottom of the second when Billy Noblitt reached on an error with the bases loaded that allowed Cope Smith to score. After just two innings, the Raiders were leading 7-5.

In the top of the fourth, SAR took an 8-5 lead. With a runner on second and two outs, Matthew Saint came through with another RBI single, but the Eagles struck back again in the bottom half of the inning when Noblitt drove in Jimmy Bowden on an RBI single to centerfield.

However, the Raiders fought back again with two runs in the top of the fifth on a two-run homer by Godwin. This proved to be the difference in the game, as the Eagles were only able to score one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Godwin had a tremendous day at the plate for the Raiders. He went 4 for 4 at the plate with a two-run homer, three RBIs and two runs scored. Both Chase Ledger and Matthew Saint each had two hits in the game, with Ledger driving in a run and Saint driving in three RBIs.

Perry Usher started on the hill for the Raiders. In a little over three innings of work, Usher gave up six runs on seven hits with two walks and one strikeout.

Camden Rogers came on in relief of Usher and gave up a run on a hit with five walks and five strikeouts in a little over two innings of work. Chase Ledger was the third and final pitcher to toe the mound for the Raiders. In one inning of work, he gave up no runs or hits and posted one strikeout.

The Raiders will step back into region play on Tuesday, April 4, when they host Deerfield-Windsor at 4 p.m.