Calvary swept Providence Christian in the quarterfinals of the GHSA private state baseball tournament.
The Cavaliers won Game 1 by a score of 3-2 and Game 2 7-1.
Junior southpaw Quinn Johnson was lights out from the jump in the first game, striking out the side in the first inning. After retiring three of the four batters he faced in the second frame, Johnson and the Cavaliers found themselves in a tricky spot in the third inning with the bases loaded and nobody out. One run would score, but damage was limited.
Johnson would return to the mound for the fourth and deal another 1-2-3 inning, sending the top of the order up to bat for the Cavaliers.
Dalton Kelley and Max Arnold both singled and stole a base in the bottom of the inning, and on a 3-2 pitch, senior Cutter Powell knocked the two in, giving Calvary their first lead of the game.
Providence led the sixth inning off with a home run, tying the game at two. Johnson would finish that inning without giving up any more runs and sit two more down in the seventh before being relieved by senior Ryan Wallace. Wallace recorded the last out in the top of the seventh.
Quinn Johnson finished the game with 6.2 innings pitched, with seven strikeouts, seven hits given up, and two earned runs allowed.
In the bottom of the inning, with one out, senior Sam Renshaw doubled to left center field to put the game-winning run on second. Renshaw would take third base on a sacrifice fly.
Then, with two outs, junior pinch-hitter Carter Hampton walked it off with a single, and Calvary took Game 1.
“Carter Hampton has come up big for us all year long. That was something that we talked about going into the last couple series - that we need him to be able to come up in a big time moment, and he produced once again,” said Calvary Head Coach Phillip Lee.
| GAME 1 | ||||||||||
| CALVARY DAY 3, PROVIDENCE CHRISTAIN ACADEMY 2 | ||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| PCA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| CDS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
GAME 2 - Calvary Scores Early Never Loses Lead
After a nerve-wracking first game, Game 2 quickly allowed the Calvary faithful to exhale.
The Cavaliers scored six runs in the top of the first inning. Sam Renshaw wasted no time impacting Game 2 after scoring the game-winning run in Game 1, with a two-RBI double.
“Anytime you can get Game 1, you feel like if you can jump on them in Game 2 early, then it gives you an opportunity to hopefully put the series to bed,” Lee said.
On the mound for Calvary in Game 2 was Cutter Powell, who knocked in two runs in Game 1.
After hitting the first Providence Christian batter of the game, Powell retired the next three batters.
At the top of the second, Powell gave himself some more breathing room with a solo home run.
He found himself in trouble across the third, fourth, and fifth innings, with a combined seven runners on base before an out was recorded. Powell and the Cavaliers maneuvered the situation brilliantly, allowing only one.
“All year long Cutter Powell has gotten better as the game goes on. He’s been a bulldog for us this year,” Lee said. “He’s a senior, and he’s going to play football at Charleston Southern, so he has that tough mentality about himself. He loves to compete.”
Powell retired the last nine batters he faced to finish off a 7-1 win in Game 2.
Powell pitched a complete game, giving up one run on six hits while striking out eight. He scored two runs of his own.
Junior Waylan Heidik also had a great game at the dish, going 2-3 with an RBI double and a walk.
Calvary’s starting pitching was spectacular today, giving up three runs over 13.2 innings. The Cavaliers only needed one out from their bullpen in the series.
Calvary will face Prince Avenue Christian in Athens next Tuesday for a spot in the state championship.
| GAME 2 | ||||||||||
| CALVARY DAY 7, PRPVIDENCE CHRISTAIN ACADEMY 1 | ||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| CDS | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
| PCA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| RECORDS: CDS 27-7; PCA 30-7 |
Photo Credits: Courtesy Magnolia Manor Creations Photography
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