>> JOHN MILLEDGE ACADEMY
The John Milledge Academy (JMA) Trojans opened region play at home on March 14 against the First Presbyterian Day (FPD) Vikings and were defeated 7-2 for their second loss of the season.
The Trojans didn’t have to wait long for a rematch, though, as they visited the Vikings in Macon on March 16, and came away with a big 13-4 win that boosted their record to 4-2, 1-1.
JMA held FPD scoreless in the first inning Tuesday night with three strikeouts, then jumped out to a 1-0 lead after a single by Briggs Eady and Blake Bellflower reaching first base on a fielder’s choice. Eady then stole third and Bellflower stole second to put two runners in scoring position, and it quickly paid off when Eady scored on a passed ball to give the Trojans a brief advantage.
The Vikings answered with a run scored on an error to tie things up in the top of the second, then took the lead on a single to score two of their runners before a flyout ended the inning.
JMA responded in the bottom of the second with a Cooper Wilburn RBI single that scored Brady Rollins from third base to make it 3-2, but that would be the end of scoring for the Trojans.
A four-run inning on a pair of doubles by the Vikings in the top of the third pushed their lead to 7-2, which lasted through the end of the game.
On Thursday, JMA again took the early lead in the first inning when Bud Veal stole home plate after hitting a single in the leadoff spot.
Cooper Wilburn got the start on the mound for JMA and started off his day by striking out a pair of Viking batters and shutting them out in the opening inning.
That led to a big second inning for JMA, as they scored seven runs to essentially put the game away.
After a scoreless third inning, both teams traded single runs in the fourth, JMA again scored once in the fifth, then wrapped up with 3 runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Still showing some fight, FPD responded with three runs of their own in the sixth, but it was too little, too late, and the Trojans took a 13-4 win home to Milledgeville.
Brady Rollins led Trojan batters with three hits in three at-bats with two runs scored. Wilburn pitched until the end of the fifth inning and finished his day with nine strikeouts, three hits allowed, one run allowed and the win. Bud Veal came on in relief duty for the final two innings and recorded two Ks while allowing three runs to ultimately help his team earn the win over a region rival and bring JMA’s record to 5-2 and 1-1 in region play.
JMA’s season continues this Saturday, March 25, when the Trojans head to Marietta to play Dominion Christian in a non-region doubleheader.