By JOSH FRYE
News Sportswriter
Chase Bell and Cameron Cloud combined to pitch a perfect game in the opener as Escambia Academy swept a February 29 double-header against Lighthouse Christian Academy at Tom Byrne Park.
The Cougars won each game by a 12-0 score, and each game lasted just three innings.
Bell started on the mound and pitched two innings during the first game, striking out five. Cloud took over in the third inning and closed out the performance, striking out three. No LCA batter reached base in the shortened contest.
Cloud also created a presence in the batter’s box, going 2-for-2 and driving in three runs. Bryant Quimby also went 2-for-2, including a double, and scored a run.
During the second game, Parker Robinson pitched the first two innings for EA, striking out four batters and giving up one hit. Randall Bonds pitched the last inning and struck out two batters.
In addition to his game-closing pitching performance, Bonds also hit the first homerun of the season for the Cougars, a solo shot.
According to EA head coach Mike Sims, his team has been working on key elements to help gain more productivity.
“We have been working on our pitching game,” Sims said. “We are not only pitching to strike batters out, but also to help generate outs when we need them. The young guys have been catching on to the mentality of not only throwing strikes, but also throwing outside fastballs and hitting their locations to help generate groundouts and popup outs.
“We are playing the ball really well in the outfield and infield, and we have a lot of team speed as well.”
According to Sims, turning in quality at-bats has also been one of the main areas of focus for the Cougars.
“We need to make the opposing pitchers work,” he said. “We need to make sure that we are working at the plate and not swinging at the first thing that is thrown.”
With the first wins of the season under its belt, EA will host Clarke Prep in double-header action this Thursday, March 5.