‘Dawgs avenge loss, split series with district rival CPA Lions

SM-Tn Sports

Richie Estep was pleased with his team’s response Tuesday.

Following its first loss of the season on a Monday trip to Christ Presbyterian Academy, Columbia Academy bounced back and scored in three of four at-bats – including a nine-run second inning – to claim a 13-2, five-inning victory over the visiting Lions.

Four different Bulldogs had two hits in the 11-hit attack, with Tyler Stephens doubling twice and Kavares Tears adding a two-run two-bagger in the second to help break the game open against CPA starter Jack Jennings.

Kavares Tears doubled home a pair of runs during a nine-run second inning Tuesday as Columbia Academy defeated CPA 13-2 in five innings, offsetting a 7-4 district loss Monday to the Lions. (Video by Maurice Patton / SM-Tn Sports)

“I told them, a lot of teams don’t respond like that,” Estep said, mindful of CA’s 7-4 loss Monday. “It goes the other way. You have a tough emotional loss, you feel like you should have won that one – a lot of teams have a hangover.

“It says a lot about their character, how they came back. I didn’t think that was going to happen. (CPA is) a good team, a good hitting team. We just kept having good ABs every time, making it hard. It was nice.”

Bryant Beranek scattered five hits and struck out five in five innings, allowing a pair of unearned runs as the hosts made an uncharacteristic five errors but improved to 8-1 (5-1 Division II-A District 3).

CPA (6-4-1, 3-1) scored in the top of the first, but the ‘Dawgs answered with a pair in the bottom of the inning on a Lions error and a Damon Toombs squeeze bunt before turning the tide in their next at-bat – sending 13 batters to the plate in the second.

Tanner Ham and Cade Crouthemal had two hits apiece in the victory, with Ham, Tears, Stephens and Landon Prentice each scoring twice.

Jennings allowed seven hits and nine runs – all earned – in 1 1/3 innings to take the loss for CPA.

Columbia Academy resumes play Thursday, participating in the Chattanooga Central Invitational.

Columbia Acad. 13, Christ Presbyterian Acad. 2 (5 inn.)

CP 100 10 – 2 5 1
CA 292 0x – 13 11 5

Jack Jennings, Will Stringfield (2), Easton Dillard (3) and Cade Law. Bryant Beranek and Max Ballard. W: Beranek. L: Jennings.

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