Faith Christian masterfully cruised through the first three innings against Bethel Christian Academy on Tuesday afternoon.
The Conquerors built up a one-run lead, but then things started to go wrong in the fourth inning.
The Trojans scored eight runs in the top of the fourth inning, and Bethel Christian held off the Conquerors for a 10-6 win.
“We weren’t dominant on the mound like we should’ve been. Our pitching was off today, and you string a few errors behind it, and it just gets away from you,” Faith Christian head coach Steven Reese said.
In the bottom of the first inning, with two outs on the board, Alex Tillman drew a walk. One batter later, Brett Baumgartner’s RBI double enabled Tillman to score and give Faith Christian a 1-0 lead.
Bethel tied the game 1-1 in the top of the third, but the Conquerors took back the lead when Tillman’s sacrifice fly allowed Ben Reese to cross up home plate.
Now leading 2-1, things started to turn sour for Faith Christian in the fourth inning.
The Trojans scored eight runs in the inning, and by the time the inning was over, Bethel Christian built up a 9-2 lead.
However, the Conquerors battled back in the bottom of the fourth.
Hunter Pittman hit an RBI double, Hayden Voeller scored a run off a throwing error, Reese also hit an RBI double, and when the inning was over, the Conquerors managed to cut Bethel Christian’s lead down 9-5.
“The boys stayed alive and stayed in the game,” Reese said. “They came right and made great plays, but sometimes you dig a hole too deep to get out of.”
The Trojans scored a run in the top of the fifth to push their lead to 10-5, but the Conquerors responded, and Tillman scored off a wild pitch to make it a 10-6 ballgame.
Bethel Christian was unable to score any runs in the final two innings of the game, but the Conquerors could not complete the comeback, and the Trojans left Goldsboro with the win.
After the game, Faith Christian honored its five seniors – Voeller, Garrett Pendergraft, Hunter Hartsell, Silas Hill and Bryson Brock – for their four years of dedication to the Conquerors’ baseball program.
“Those five guys are awesome. They’ve been with us a long time,” Reese said. “I’m just glad that these guys to play their last season. It’s just good to have them here playing and finishing it up.”
Faith Christian (7-3 overall) travels to Wayne Christian (1-6) on Thursday.
