The John Milledge Academy Trojans came back from a disappointing 11-1 loss last Friday to the Valwood Valiants by winning games two and three.
The Trojans were scheduled to play a doubleheader last Friday, but due to inclement weather, game two was postponed. The Trojans bounced back in a big way in game two, winning 13-4, and they looked to carry that momentum into game three.
The Trojans gave up a run in the first inning when the Valiants scored on a passed ball to take a 1-0 lead. JMA responded with a strikeout to end the top of the first inning, but it failed to score any runs.
The Trojans did take the lead in the bottom of the second inning on a Cooper Wilburn double that scored Jackson Thomas and Blake Bellflower to give the Trojans a 2-1 lead. Wilburn would later score from third on a Valiants passed ball, and Cayden Avant reached home plate on a Valiants balk to give JMA a 4-1 lead.
Valwood scored its second run on a Trojans wild pitch. After a pair of singles, Bryce McDonel scored for JMA, and Wilburn singled to score Thomas to extend the Trojans' lead to 6-2.
Wilburn would score again on a Valwood wild pitch before the inning ended with JMA leading 7-2.
A trio of Kolton McMichael strikeouts sustained the Trojans' lead before they again scored another run, this one coming on a Briggs Eady single that brought in Bud Veal, extending the Trojans' lead to 8-2. JMA held Valwood scoreless for the remainder of the game, and the Trojans would run away with the game in the bottom of the sixth.
They scored three runs, including a Bellflower four-run homer that sealed the six-inning run-ruled game to send JMA back to the GIAA Class AAA baseball state championship series for the second year in a row.
McMichael pitched a complete game, giving up only five hits and two runs, while striking out seven batters on the day.
“We knew we were being given a second chance when the game was postponed,” JMA head coach Chad Starley said. “We talked about resetting and taking advantage of having a new day to compete on Saturday. We didn’t change our game plan, we just showed up with energy and ready to win.”
The Trojans will face the Pinewood Christian Academy Patriots in North Augusta, South Carolina, at SRP Park with game one on Thursday at 4 p.m. and game two on Friday at 1 p.m. Game three will be on Saturday, if necessary, time TBA.