RTCA Takes 3rd In State

The Lady Crusaders of Robert Toombs Christian Academy took part in the GIAA State Elite 8 Tournament last week and came away with third place in the State. RTCA won their first two games in the tournament, making it to the semi finals of the winners’ bracket before dropping their next two games to end their run in the tournament.

RTCA started off the tournament with a big win over Westwood Academy on Thursday morning, and then took a close win over Thomas Jefferson in the afternoon. Then at noon on Friday, they took on eventual State Champions, Citizens Christian Academy and lost that game, sending the Crusaders into the losers’ bracket. That put them up against Crisp Academy, also on Friday, whom they lost to, to end their season.

Vs. Westwood

RTCA took the early lead in the bottom of the second inning. They loaded up the bases and got an RBI single from Annabelle Coe and then a walk by Railee Thomas put RTCA on top 2-0. RTCA increased their lead in the third inning as Coe drove in three runs with a double, Thomas added a 2-RBI double, and then RBI singles from Maddie Joyner and Meredith Durden gave RTCA a 9-0 lead.

RTCA added three more runs in the fourth inning. The big hit came from Mary Frances Stanley as she hit a tworun home run to center field. The other run came in on a continued from page

fielder’s choice by Braylin Pittman for a 12-0 lead. That gave RTCA the win by the run rule.

Vs. TJ

RTCA had to fight to get the win over the Lady Jaguars of Thomas Jefferson. TJ went on top with two runs in the top of the second inning, but RTCA came back to take the lead in the third inning. Durden put the first run up with a RBI single, and then an error tied the game at 2-2. RTCA went on top with an RBI single from Emily Edwards that made it 3-2.

The Jaguars tied the game in the top of the fourth inning with a run, but RTCA answered in the bottom of the frame with three more runs. RTCA scored those three runs on balls hit by Amelia Mercer, Stanley, and Coe. That put the Crusaders on top 6-3.

RTCA held on to take the win by that score, sending them into the semifinals against CCA.

Vs. CCA

RTCA and CCA had split their two games during the regular season, but on Friday it was CCA that took the win in a high scoring battle.

CCA held the early lead as they scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning. RTCA came back with five runs in the top of the third inning, with Kinsley Kennedy coming through with a two-RBI single for the lead, 5-3. CCA answered with three more runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead back, 6-5 over RTCA.

But RTCA was not done as they plated six more runs in the top of the fourth. Alayna Wimpey added a two-RBI single in the inning as RTCA went on top 11-6.

But CCA scored two more in the bottom of the fourth, and two in the sixth inning to close the lead to 11-10. Then in the bottom of the seventh inning a walk-off single from CCA drove in the two runs needed to take the win, 1211, over RTCA.

The loss moved RTCA into the losers’ bracket to take on Crisp Academy for a shot to get to the Championship Game.

Vs. Crisp

Just after the heartbreaking loss to CCA, RTCA had to try to collect themselves as they got 30 minutes to rest before having to face off with Crisp Academy in an elimination game. RTCA struggled at the plate in this game as they fell to the Lady Wildcats.

RTCA did hold the early lead when Mercer hit into a fielder’s choice, bringing in the first run of the game to give RTCA a 1-0 lead.

Crisp tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third inning. They took the lead with another run in the top of the fifth inning as they went ahead, 2-1. Crisp plated three more in the sixth inning as they pushed their lead to 5-1.

RTCA did pick up a run in the bottom of the sixth inning with Durden driving in the run. That made the score 5-2, but three more runs from Crisp in the top of the seventh inning gave them an 8-2 win over RTCA.

That ended the run for the Crusaders and the third-place team in the state. RTCA finished the season with an overall record of 17-9, and they were 10-2 in the Region.

In the Championship, Crisp won the first game over CCA, 5-4, to force a deciding final game, but CCA rolled to a 9-1 win in the second game to take the Championship.