AMERICUS – The Southland Academy Raider (SAR) baseball team started their season on a high with a 10-7 victory over Trinity Christian of Dublin, GA (TCS) on Tuesday, March 1 at Southland Academy.
The Raiders scored 10 runs on 11 hits and capitalized on two errors made by the Crusaders.
SAR infielder Greer Hagerson spearheaded the Raiders’ offensive attack by going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, two singles and three runs scored. Shortstop Henry Johnson, center Caleb Law and wide receiver Will Godwin also had several hits in this game for SAR. Johnson went 2 for 4 with three RBIs, Godwin went 2 for 3 with a double, a single and an RBI, and Law went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Southland Academy starting pitcher Chase Ledger struck out six batters over three innings of work in SAR’s 10-7 victory over Trinity Christian.
Photo by Ken Gustafson
Chase Ledger got the start on the hill for the Raiders and was solid through the first three innings. Ledger allowed one run on two hits and struck out six TCS batters. Perry Usher came on as a relief from Ledger, but had a tougher time in his two innings of work. Usher allowed four runs on six hits, walked one and struck out three. Hagerson was the third and final launcher used by SAR. In the last two innings, he allowed two runs on two hits, walked three and struck out four.
The Raiders scored three runs late in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. Hagerson started the frame by reaching on an error and Scout Luvin would later bring Hagerson home on a sacrificial fly for the first inning of the game. After a single by Law and a walk to Hudson Collins from TCS starting pitcher Nathan Sumner, Henry Johnson led Law on an RBI single. Chase Ledger then drew a walk to charge the bases and Usher drove Collins in when he was hit by a pitch.
Southland Academy infielder Greer Hagerson slides safely into third base for a triple. Hagerson went 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored to help lead the Raiders to victory.
Photo by Ken Gustafson
The Crusaders responded with a run in the top of the third inning on an RBI single from Ryan Flanders, but the Raiders responded with three more runs on four hits late in the third, including doubles from Hagerson and Godwin.
The TCS still wouldn’t go, however, as Kyle Currie launched a run on a triple RBI and Zack White followed that up with an RBI single in the top of the fourth inning, making it 6-3 in favor of the Raiders. .
However, SAR responded with two more runs late in the fourth. With two outs, Hagerson scored a single, Godwin tied, and Luvin hit an error to load Caleb Law’s bases. Law then took the opportunity to drive to Hagerson on an RBI single. Hudson Collins then took one for the team as he was hit by a pitch that allowed courtesy runner Travis Pennington to score from third, making it 8-3 SAR.
Southland Academy center back Caleb Law went 2-for-4 at home plate with two RBIs and a run scored in the Raiders’ 10-7 win over Trinity Christian to start the 2022 season.
Photo by Ken Gustafson
The Crusaders responded with two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to close the gap at 8-6, but SAR got the two insurance runs they needed late in the sixth. With runners at second and third with one out, Caleb Law dug in on picking a defenseman that allowed Pennington to score and Luvin would later score on wild pitch. The Crusaders threatened in the top of the seventh when Hagerson launched a two-out run, but he managed to get Ben Helton to line up in center field to end the game.
Kyle Currie led the Crusaders offense going 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. With the loss, the TCS is now 4-1 this season.
The Raiders (1-0) will go for their second straight win when they travel to Albany to face Deerfield-Windsor on Thursday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m.
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