On senior night at Heritage Academy, a pair of juniors stole the show.
Junior Cody Mordecai threw a complete game and fellow junior Jace Caldwell hit his first home run of the season as Heritage Academy knocked off Greenville Washington School 2-1 in a critical Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA, Division II, District 1 baseball game Tuesday night at Trip Carson Field.
With the victory, the Patriots improve to 15-7 overall and 9-6 in district play. The teams will complete their three-game regular season series with a 4 p.m. doubleheader Thursday in Greenville. Heritage Academy needs to win one of those two games to reach the playoffs.
On Tuesday night, the Patriots approached the contest as a must-win for additional reasons, besides the postseason race.
“We did this one tonight for the seniors,” Caldwell said. “They have really pushed us the whole time. Tonight’s win was mainly for them. This place was electric. The crowd really gave us a big boost.
“We knew we had to win to make the playoffs. It all added up to an emotional win and a big night.”
Six senior Heritage Academy baseball players were honored in pregame ceremonies. Mordecai, a slender right-hander, then took to the mound and took center stage.
In his fourth start of the season, Mordecai allowed eight hits and a lone run in the sixth inning. While throwing 97 pitches, Mordecai struck out six, retired the final four batters in the game and also benefitted from a huge double play ball in the third inning and an errorless game by the Patriots behind him.
“My confidence was high tonight and that allowed me to do what I did,” Mordecai said. “I was hitting my spots well and my off-speed stuff was really good. The team played great behind me and we really got into a rhythm out there.”
Mordecai grew up in New Hope. In his eighth grade year, his family moved to Lake Walley, South Carolina. In an effort to further his baseball career, Mordecai returned to Lowndes County roughly a month ago and lives with his grandparents.
For Heritage Academy coach Bruce Branch, the timing has been perfect.
“It has been a blessing,” Branch said. “You could not ask for a better kid. He has great character and is very athletic. It was a big-time get for us, because he has given us some options in areas in which we were limited.”
While the Patriots have always been a close-knit group, Caldwell said adding Mordecai to the family has come quite easily.
“We really needed one more guy,” Caldwell said. “Picking up Cody has helped us a lot. He is like that puzzle when you need one more piece. Now with him, the puzzle is put together. This team really has the tools to put things together and to get to state.”
Caldwell smashed a 2-0 pitch over the right field fence for a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
“(Michael Bruton) had been throwing me away the whole time,” Caldwell said. “I was still looking for it. I saw the spin on the ball and I knew it was gone, coming off the bat. I didn’t know it was going to go that far, but it should felt good, since it was my first one of the season.
“Guess it came at a really good time.”
Hunter Sykes started the Heritage Academy third inning with a single and later scored on a sacrifice-fly by James Clark. While the Patriots only finished with five hits, the 2-0 lead would be all the offense Mordecai would need.
“I told the kids after the game, you could not have a better game than that, whatever level you are on,” Branch said. “It doesn’t get any better than that. The atmosphere was great. Both teams played well. It all set up for a big night for us.
“This is the one we really need to have before going over there Thursday.”
While the Generals collected eight hits, Mordecai walked none and worked around tight situations in the fourth and sixth innings.
While Greenville Washington did score in the sixth inning, Heritage Academy left fielder Matt Sykes got a critical throw out at second base to prevent a potential game-tying score. Bruton had an RBI-single but was put out at second, when the throw went there, instead of to home. With Bruton retired, Will Thaggard followed with a hit, before a Mordecai strikeout snuffed that threat.
The Generals were retired in order in the seventh inning.
“There was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to finish that game,” Mordecai said.
Now, the Patriots must go on the road and finish the series. Starkville Academy awaits the winner next Tuesday in the opening round of the playoffs.
“We have practiced hard for this week,” Caldwell said. “Everybody on the team is excited. Now, we got to have another good day of practice and then go over there and do it again.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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