Patriots knock off Regents twice

Marshall Academy picked up home-and-away wins over Regents School of Oxford on the baseball diamond last week.

The Patriots rallied from a 5-0 deficit to knock off the Lions 13-8 in Holly Springs on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Colt Carpenter led the offense with a four-for-five night from the batter’s box.

Other top hitters for MA were Cash Redding, two of three with three runs-batted-in, and Jaxson Rikard, one hit and two RBIs.

“We just put together some great at-bats,” said coach Dustin Skelton.

He complimented the efforts of three Patriot pitchers.

“Gage Todd didn’t have his best stuff but gave us a chance with his competitiveness,” he said. “Landon Loper threw three scoreless frames and held them there so we could chip away. Dom Green came in and shut them down in the top of the seventh.”

It was a tighter contest Friday in Oxford. Marshall earned a 6-5 win in what Skelton called “an emotional roller coaster.”

“We just got timely hits and our pitchers pitched well,” he said. “It was back and forth all game. They would score and have big innings and then we would do the same.”

Redding pitched three and two-thirds innings. He struck out three, walked one and gave up five hits and no earned runs. Carpenter followed on the mound. In three and one-third innings, he struck out three, walked two and gave up four hits.

Rikard had a solid night at the plate, going two for two with two singles and two walks.

The Patriots wrapped up the week Saturday with a hard-fought 6-5 loss at DeSoto Central, a Class 7A public school.

A rugged early-season schedule has the Patriots at 37 overall with more tough competition waiting.

“We scheduled some powerhouses,” Skelton said. “Our young kids need to be tested.” MA was scheduled to visit Bayou Academy in Cleveland on Monday of this week. They will go to Booneville High School Thursday and then host Oak Hill Academy Saturday. Next week, during spring break, the Patriots will play several games in the Gulf Coast Classic at Gulf Shores.