Orangewood Christian Tops The Masters Academy In 3A-3

The district semifinals have a certain feel to them. The winner is guaranteed a spot in the playoffs while the loser is sent home packing after a long season. It’s do or die, and only one team can move on. Both The Masters Academy Eagles and Orangewood Christian Rams played their hearts out on Wednesday night, but the Rams ended up coming out on top by a close score of 4-2.

The Rams struck for the deciding runs in the fourth inning. Pat Yost and Jeremiah Davis hit back-to-back doubles to drive in two more runs, which ended up being the last time either team would score for the rest of the night. Now the Rams move on the district final against Lake Mary.

“We know Lake Mary Prep, we played them the past several years and it’s another good team that competes against us and we compete against them, too,” manager Scott Hillinski said.

Looking forward, the Rams are gunning for home-field advantage for regionals. Their squad looks good, and hopefully for them there will be a lot more baseball left in the coming weeks.

The Masters Academy put the number one seeded Rams on the ropes early, scoring a quick two runs against Quinn Echelson in the first inning. Eagles starting pitcher Ben Chestnutt drove in the first run off an RBI single to help his own cause. Two batters later a wild pitch helped plate another runner, giving the Eagles a 2-0 lead.

“This is a good team that plays us very tough all year long,” Hilinski said. “We knew it was going to be a good match up. We prepared the same as any other game.”

Quinn Echelson managed to get out of the inning, and his team quickly bailed him out in the bottom of the first. First basemen Jake Leiffer knocked in the first run off a single, before Ethan Garrido hit a double to tie the game.

“I was completely locked in,” Ethan said. “I had the mentality that we were going to beat this team, and I was going to sacrifice everything for my brothers.”

Ethan did. He beat out an infield hit in his second at-bat and laid down a perfect bunt in his third to put the Eagles in bad position during the fifth inning. He was just as much responsible for the win as was Quinn Echelson, who settled down perfectly as the game progressed.

“I felt more relaxed out there on the mound,” Quinn said. “I knew where to pitch each hitter. I knew where the umpire’s zone was and the fans helped a lot.”

“He battled and competed,” Hillinski said. “We had a chance to take him out later in the game, but he wasn’t giving me that ball. That was his to lose. He’s a senior, he’s been with us for four years and he competes.”

To show just how much he settled in, Quinn struck out six batters in the last four innings.

“In the first inning adrenaline was moving, I was up in the zone,” Quinn said. “It was nice to have this group of guys behind me and know they had my back.”

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