Heidelberg Academy advances to MPSA finals

By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
May 7, 2004
HEIDELBERG Heidelberg Academy moved to within two wins of the MPSA Class A State Championship with an 11-1 victory over East Holmes on Thursday afternoon.
The win, paired with a 17-1 victory over the Raiders on Tuesday, moves the Rebels into the state championship series.
Heidelberg, now 27-0 this season, will take on the winner of the Porters Chapel/Franklin (La.) Academy series on Tuesday night. The Rebels will host Porters Chapel or travel to take on Franklin in the first game of the series.
"I'm really proud of our guys," said Heidelberg coach Tom Lewis. "We've achieved all but one of our goals this year and that's a tribute to them. They've worked very hard."
On Thursday afternoon, Heidelberg Academy overcame a flat start to score seven unearned runs on just two hits in the first inning.
"We were a little bit flat I think," said Lewis. "Our kids put a lot of pressure on themselves to hit. We are known as a hitting team and when we don't we get a little impatient. We scored seven runs and had maybe two hits so we manufactured the runs. That's what you've got to do against a good team."
East Holmes struck first in the top of the first inning. Craig Pee singled and Greg Watkins reached on an error. After a single by Brad Jones, Coby Edwards walked to bring in the first run of the game.
The Raiders got two quick outs on the Rebels in the top of the first inning but Brooks Lewis reached on a throwing error to keep the inning alive.
The Rebels took advantage of the mistake in a big way as they scored seven runs to take a big lead.
Mason Key singled and Lewis scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Ryan Aultman was hit by a pitch and Derek Griffin walked.
Key scored on a wild pitch to give Heidelberg a 2-1 lead and Justin Gibbs walked to once again load the bases for the Rebels.
After a walk by Chad Carmichael made the score 3-1, Ian Sharp came through with a grand slam to right to make the score 7-1.
The Rebels added a pair of runs in the fourth inning to stretch the lead. Key singled and Griffin followed with a single.
Carmichael and Sharp each walked to bring in a run to make the score 9-1 after four innings.
Meanwhile, Paul Zeagler overcame a slow start on the mound for the Rebels and allowed just two hits in the final four innings.
Aultman finished the game by blasting a shot into the trees in left field in the bottom of the fifth. The two-run home run gave the Rebels the 11-1 victory by the 10-run rule.