State Championship For RTCA

The Crusaders baseball team of Robert Toombs Christian Academy are GIAA State A Champions. They fought through the playoffs to take the title in three games over the Wildcats of Flint River Academy out of Woodbury.

The first two games of the best-of-three series were played in Macon at Luther Williams Field, home of the Macon Bacon. After weather moved through the area over the weekend, the final game, which was scheduled for Saturday, was moved to Monday of this week at Tattnall Square Academy.

RTCA pulled the upset as they defeated the #1 team in the state. RTCA went into the playoffs as the #2 seed, but took Game 1 of the Championship Series, fell in the second game, but bounced back in a thrilling Game 3 that went down to the wire to claim the title. RTCA was up to the challenge as they went in knowing that Flint River had several good pitchers, but RTCA did what they needed to come away with the win.

Game 1

On Thursday of last week the Crusaders came out of the gate firing as they took the early lead and then held on for the win.

RTCA plated a run in the top of the first inning as Brittan Tabor came through with an RBI single to give the Crusaders a 1-0 lead. RTCA added to that lead in the top of the second inning with a 2-RBI double by Tripp Durden. That pushed the lead to 3-0.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Crusaders added one more run as Durden came through with another RBI hit to put RTCA on top 4-0. The Wildcats scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, making the score 4-1.

Tabor was on the mound for the Crusaders and pitched well as he allowed just four hits and one run. He also only walked one batter in the game as RTCA took the win, 4-1.

Game 2

In the second game of the series on Friday, things took a complete turn as Flint River took control of the game. Some base running error cost the Crusaders a couple of runs, but the Wildcats cruised to a big win to force a Game 3 in the series.

In the top of the first inning, the Wildcats picked up the first run on an RBI hit to the fence, and then another run scored on a hit down the right field line. That put them on top 2-0 heading to the bottom of the first.

RTCA didn't get anything going in the first, and in the top of the second inning the Wildcats added two runs on an RBI triple. They added another run in the inning to give them a 5-0 lead. RTCA held Flint River in the top of the third inning, but in the fourth, they plated one more run as they pushed the lead to 6-0.

Durden led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single, which was the Crusaders first hit of the game. But he was then thrown out trying to steal second base. Hayden Kight was then hit by a pitch to put another runner on for RTCA. A single by Tabor into right field put runners at first and second, and then an error on Flint River loaded the bases for RTCA. But a line drive right to the short stop ended the RTCA threat and sent the game to the fifth with the Wildcats still on top, 6-0. After a scoreless top of the fifth, Landon Sauls got a single in the bottom of the fifth. Brody Randall followed that with a single to put two runners on base. But again a base running error cost RTCA. The ball got just a bit away from the catcher, and Sauls was thrown out trying to steal third base.

The Wildcats added a run in the top of the sixth inning, and then put three more on the board in the seventh inning as they took a 10-0 lead over RTCA. RTCA did get a runner

STATE CHAMPIONS – The Robert Toombs Crusaders are the 2024 GIAA State A Champions.

Photo by RTCA continued from page

on in the seventh when Rayce Sharpe was hit by a pitch, but RTCA couldn't get anything else going as they lost Game 2, 10-0, to Flint River.

Game 3

On Monday of this week at Tattnall Square in Macon RTCA battled their way to a win and the State Championship. Banks Hopkins got the start on the mound for RTCA and pitched a solid game.

RTCA got a couple of runners on base in the top of the first inning, but could not get them across. RTCA held in the bottom of the first inning to keep the game scoreless.

In the top of the second, RTCA couldn't get anything going. In the bottom of the inning a double and then two walks by the Wildcats loaded the bases. They came through with with a single to take a 1-0 lead. RTCA got out of the jam, though, giving up just the one run.

In the top of the third inning, Randall had a base hit, and then Durden followed that with a single. Randall went to third on the hit, and Durden took second on the throw to third. Kight came through with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Wildcats answered, albeit in a bit of controversy. Flint river had a runner on first, and on a ground ball it appeared that RTCA came up with a double play, but the runner at first was called safe. The next batter for Flint River hit a two-run home run to left field to give them a 3-1 lead.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Crusaders made a move. They had two runners on base, and then a walk to Blake Durden loaded the bases with no outs. Sauls walked with a run coming in to close the lead to 3-2. That forced a pitching change by the Wildcats.

Up next was Randall, who did hit into a double play, but Blake Durden scored to tie the game at 3-3. RTCA added another run on a couple of errors on a ball hit by Tripp Durden. That put the Crusaders on top, 4-3.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Wildcats had two runners on base and came through with a big base hit to tie the game at 4-4.

In the top of the fifth inning, RTCA couldn't answer, and in the bottom of the frame, the Wildcats made a move. With the bases loaded, a walk and a hit batter put the Wildcats back on top, 6-4, over RTCA.

In the top of the sixth inning with two runners on base, Randal came through with a single to load the bases. That was followed by a 2-RBI single to tie the game at 6-6. Gage Brantley followed that with maybe the biggest hit of the game as he came through with a huge sacrifice fly that gave the Crusaders a 7-6 lead over Flint River.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, RTCA got into a bit of trouble, but Tripp Durden came in and got them out of the jam, stranding two runners on base, sending the game to the seventh with RTCA on top, 7-6.

In the top of the seventh, RTCA could not add to their lead moving the game to the bottom of the final inning with a one-run lead.

Durden walked a runner and then a hit put runners at first and second with no outs for the Wildcats. A passed ball moved the runners to second and third, as Flint River threatened to take the win. Durden buckled down and got the next batter on a line drive. He struck out the next two batters as RTCA held on to take the Championship.

It was a fitting game for a Championship, with the ball bouncing RTCA's way just a few more times in the game as they took the title, 7-6, over Flint River.

Head Coach Brian Fitzgerald said, “What a game, just look at the score, 7-6. Nobody expected us to be here, but these kids just came to play. We had some great individual efforts out there today, I mean look at Banks pitching like he did. We just survived some tough situations, and came through with some clutch hits when we needed them. Phenomenal season, just so proud of our guys, and thankful to all the players, the coaches, the parents, and everyone involved. It is just great to say that we are State Champions.”