After a 2-0 start the John Milledge Academy (JMA) Trojans suffered their first loss last Thursday night to Strong Rock Christian.
The Patriots defeated the Trojans with ease by winning 16-1 in Locust Grove, but the loss did not linger for the Trojans who bounced back with an 8-1 win less than 24 hours later. JMA defeated Vidalia Heritage 8-1 at home last Friday and with the win improved their record to 3-1 on the young season.
“Obviously losing is never fun, but they can also bring some very good positives too if you find them.” Trojans head coach Tucker Bradley said.
“Thursday, I challenged the guys to come back no matter what it took. I was challenging them to win the week.”
The Trojans accepted the challenge well beating VHA 8-1 thanks to eight hits and seven walks from their offense and a great team effort from their pitching staff. Starting pitcher Lewis Cheney improved from his first start and allowed zero hits and just one run while tallying four strikeouts.
Bryce Miller came in relief and allowed four hits but no runs or walks.
Gus Cummings and Xay Cheney followed and combined for zero hits allowed, zero runs, one walk and two strikeouts (one strikeout for each pitcher).
Xay Cheney and Cummings performances should give Trojan fans a lot to be excited about for the future of their program. Both Cheney (8th grade) and Cummings (Freshman) are in their first year as starters and have shown immense success both in the field and at the plate along with multiple other underclassmen who have made significant contributions to this year’s team. “I’ve really been impressed with the way they’re handling themselves not just with their baseball abilities, but the mental aspect of the game as well. Xay Cheney has been fun to watch as an eighth grader. Right now, he’s hitting leadoff and playing shortstop for us as an eighth grader which is really impressive.”
“He’s a fun baseball player to watch.” Bradley said of Cheney. “Every time a coach asks about him, and I mention how young he is you just get that look of confusion on their face like ‘wow, that kid can be special.’” Bradley added that Lane Rhodes is a ‘Mr. Do it all’ for the Trojans, Gus Cummings is a multitool player who Bradley believes can play at the college level, Asa Wall is a great athlete and great kid and that Nathan Snow has been a welcomed surprise after missing the entire football season due to an injury but so far through the baseball season has been the last guy to leave the field and is always asking for extra swings after practice and asking what he can do to improve himself.
Bradley also noted that he was very impressed by the way his Trojans handled themselves last Friday after a tough loss the previous night at Strong Rock.
“I was really impressed with the way we handled ourselves on Friday.
Vidalia Heritage punched us and scored first, but our guys responded with a three spot and handled business from there.”
JMA will have a rematch with VHA on Tuesday in Vidalia before traveling to Sandersville to face Brentwood on Thursday at 6:00pm. The Trojans return home this Monday to host Heritage (Newnan) at 4:00pm in Milledgeville.