WEST POINT — The Heritage Academy baseball team would love to see Hunter Ward battle like he did in the bottom of the fifth inning Tuesday afternoon.
If Ward can do that, the Patriots just might have found another arm to add to what could be a deep pitching staff filled with potential.
Ward struck out Clay Henley with the bases loaded to seal Heritage Academy”s 11-0 victory against Oak Hill Academy in the season opener for both teams.
Ward, a right-handed junior, didn”t allow a hit, struck out four, and walked five in the five-inning effort.
“I think he got a little tired, maybe,” Heritage Academy coach Bruce Branch said. “I think it was nerves more than anything. Trying to finish strong was important. He just kind of lost his focus.”
Curt Huffman reached on an error to start the final half inning. Conner Baird and Chance Livingston worked walks between fly outs before Ward got Henley swinging to end the game.
Branch said Ward made an important pitch because Henley was going to be his final batter. Still, he said he was impressed with the performance by the junior who didn”t play the past two years.
“He has been a pleasant surprise for us,” Branch said. “We hope there are a lot of good things that are going to come from him this year.”
Branch hopes the effort will give Ward confidence. He said Ward, Camp Pittman, Austin Braddock, Tyler Marchak, Parker Dunaway, and James Clark give the Patriots depth on the mound they lacked last season.
“We have really preached (to our pitchers) starting out fast,” Branch said. “They have done a really, really good job of doing that. We have to continue Friday (against Lamar School) with that.”
Heritage Academy committed two errors but delivered a fine defensive play in the third when third baseman Clark backhanded a hard-hit ground ball and threw to second base to get the force play.
Dunaway led Heritage Academy with three hits and two runs scored. Braddock had two hits and two RBIs, while Clark Atkins and Matt Sykes also had RBIs.
Branch would like to see better production at the plate. He said Tyler Farnham and Marchak should be able to set the table for Braddock, who is the team”s best power hitter and run producer. If teams opt not to pitch to Braddock, Branch feels Clark, who hit in the cleanup spot behind Braddock, can make teams pay.
“James is just as big a threat (as Austin) to me,” Branch said. “It is important Marchak and Tyler Farnham get on and start it off early.”
Oak Hill Academy had five errors, including three in a seven-run second inning that featured only three hits.
None of the nine runs that starting pitcher Kody Riley allowed were earned. The right-hander allowed five hits, walked one, struck out one, hit two, and balked in a run in three innings.
Livingston and Adam Tumey each pitched an inning for the Raiders, who have only one senior and one junior on their 19-player roster.
Oak Hill Academy coach Marion Bratton said he is still trying to find a lineup. He said the team, like many other squads in the state, hasn”t had a lot of time to work outdoors, which has slowed the development of a group that features nine seventh- and eighth-graders.
“We have some dues to pay, and we”re paying them,” Bratton said. “We”re better than we were last week because now we”re getting on the ballfield.”
Bratton praised the effort of Ward, and said his team needed to see live pitching. He hopes the performance, which included several miscues that came from a lack of repetition, will show the Raiders what they need to work on to continue to mature.
“Is this my first rodeo with a bunch of young one? No. That is why I look so good,” Bratton said. “It does hurts when you have such high expectations, but we will keep working, and we will be a different club by the time we start the conference season.
“We”re going to get better, we”re going to learn our positions, and we”re going to learn our responsibilities. I would like to see a little bit more enthusiasm. I just can”t stand to see a flat game. I want to see excitement.”
n Winston Academy 19, Immanuel 4: At Steens, The Patriots led 7-4 in the third inning before scoring 12 unanswered runs.
Justin James was 2-for-3 with a double, triple, and an RBI, and Brandon Westover and Christian Good were 1-for-3 with an RBI. Dustin White (1-for-2, RBI) pitched two innings and took the loss for the Rams (0-1).
Immanuel Christian will play host to Russell Christian at 4 and 6 p.m. Thursday.
n Brookhaven Academy 7: Starkville Academy 4: At Wesson, Hunter Bolin (RBI), Stephen Robertson (RBI), and Drew Pellum each had two hits, but the Volunteers lost their season opener at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.
Collum pitched well in relief of starter and loser Ian Tharp, according to Starkville Academy coach Neal Henry.
The Volunteers trailed 6-1 after two innings and 7-2 entering the seventh.
Starkville Academy will play at 7 tonight at Hillcrest in a varsity game.
n Russell Christian 7, Central Academy 1: At Meridian, Rowdy Rigdon and Britt Reynolds had hits Tuesday, but the Vikings allowed six unearned runs in their season opener.
First-year coach Scott Nash praised the pitching of starter Cole Newman and Drew Pearson.
Central Academy will play Noxubee County at 6 p.m. Friday.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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