BASEBALL: Wilmington Christian defeats Faith

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on April 5, 2017 9:57 AM

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Lightning in a bottle.

Wilmington Christian Academy used the concept to scare up 10 runs in a three-inning span on Tuesday, breaking open a tense N.C. Christian Schools Association 2-A District Four affair and providing the basis for a 16-5, mercy-rule victory over host Faith Christian Academy.

WCA took assumed control of matters in its half of the third inning when starting pitcher Chance Justice rode a Cal Reese fastball over the porch in right-center field. The titanic, wind-blown shot was followed in short order by a pair of RBI from Carter Davenport and Chris Williams -- handy work that provided the Patriots a quick 3-0 lead.

Faith responded in kind, however, digging in for quality at-bats and plating a pair of runs on a two-RBI blast to left-center field by Reese.

Then the outbreak occurred.

Wilmington went ballistic in its half of the fourth, when a stolen base, a passed ball and a Conqueror throwing error allowed five runs and saw a game Reese chased from the hill after 32/3 innings of work.

"We don't have another game this week, so I was going to let him throw as much as he could," FCA skipper Justin Smith said of his starter. "But what gets us out of the ball game is those errors."

Wilmington Christian (5-2-1, 4-0 District 4) continued its assault in the fifth inning, plating two runs, and again in the seventh, when it piled on six more -- this time courtesy of two errors and three bases on balls.

In total, FCA committed nine errors -- a stark difference from Monday, when the Conquerors committed just a single fielding boot in a close, 5-4 league setback at District 4 rival Bethel Christian.

"We were trying to relax, have fun and do what we did yesterday," Smith noted. "But the miscues make for a difficult day."

Wilmington Christian banged out 19 hits on the afternoon, and was led by Justice, who finished 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. Thomas Canfield also performed ably in the box, going 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI. Rounding out the middle of the Patriot lineup was Carter Davenport, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Justice also picked up the mound win, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out three in five innings of quality work.

FCA was paced by Reese, who finished the afternoon 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. Jordan Hill added two base knocks, while Jackson Freeman, Caleb Heath and Dyland Downey each had a hit for the Conquerors.

Freshman Daniel Thompson also had an RBI for FCA, who fell to 2-7 on the season and 0-4 in district play. The Conquerors' next contest is April 11, when they travel to Fayetteville for a date with Berean Baptist Academy.