By JOSH FRYE
News Sportswriter
The break for Escambia County High’s varsity baseball team might just be the longest period off the diamond for any team in the area.
The Blue Devils played only one contest last week, dropping a 14-0 decision to W.S. Neal on March 10.
ECHS struggled to contain the high-powered Blue Eagles offense, and WSN scored 12 times during the first inning, putting the Blue Devils in a hole from which they couldn’t dig out.
Anthony McCants created an early positive note for the Blue Devils as he singled in his first at-bat, but ECHS would manage just two more hits. Keon Malone and Exavion Bradley registered the only other hits for the Blue Devils, adding singles to the stat sheets.
Nate Crenshaw started on mound for ECHS. He allowed 15 hits and 14 runs over four innings and struck out five batters.
ECHS was scheduled for a rematch against W.S. Neal last Thursday, March 12, but that contest was cancelled.
“We know that we have some ground to make up,” ECHS Athletic Director Scott Mason said. “Each one of the guys is making progress, and we have a remarkable young group of guys.”
With no senior players on its roster, most of the ECHS varsity squad is composed of 8th and 9th graders.
Mason stressed that the players would improve as experience is gained and that ECHS will become a major threat before the chapter is closed.
“We want to get the community involved with the game,” Mason said. “We are working to get the baseball program back where it needs to be. We are fine in other areas of athletics, but the baseball program needs work and we are improving.”
Mason explained that the future of the season’s remaining games will be discussed on April 6, when the coronavirus situation is re-evaluated.
“It is frustrating,” he said. “The guys want to play and have been getting better. When you get told that everything has to stop without any warning, it shocks you. But the guys can, and will, bounce back.”