APA Edges St. David's 5-4 in First-Round Nail-Biter
In a gripping first-round matchup of the NCISAA 3A Playoffs, the Arendell Parrott Academy (APA) Patriots edged out St. David's with a nail-biting 5-4 victory at home, bringing their season record to 18-8, while St. David's moved to 4-12.
The scoring commenced in the first inning when APA's Cole Watson grounded the ball, but an error by St. David's allowed Jojo Ferebee to cross home. Soon after, Cade Mixon, who had reached base with a single to center field, scored due to another error induced by Tanner Outlaw's ground ball.
St. David's rallied back in the third inning with two runs to narrow the gap. APA responded with single runs in the subsequent fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. In the fifth, Caleb Sanderson's hit brought in a crucial run to make it 3-2. The sixth saw Mason McElveen, running for AB Daughety who had reached on an error, score on a sacrifice fly by Cole Harris. The drama intensified in the seventh inning. After St. David's G. Hitmar and J. Thagard each brought in a run, the score was tied at 4-4 heading into the bottom of the inning.
The game reached its climax when APA's Jaylen Solomon reached base on an error, stole second, and was then moved to third by a groundout from Jojo Ferebee. It was Caleb Sanderson who became the hero, driving Solomon in with a walk-off single to seal the victory.
Caleb Sanderson was a clutch performer, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Cade Mixon showed exceptional plate discipline, batting 1-for-1 with one run scored, drawing two walks, and stealing two bases. On the mound, Tanner Outlaw started for APA, pitching three innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits while walking three and striking out two. AB Daughety provided middle relief with three innings of work, giving up two hits and one earned run. Jojo Ferebee pitched the final inning, walking two and striking out three to pick up the win.
APA now looks ahead to a challenging second-round game against Cary Christian, which boasts a strong 18-2 record, set for Thursday. This match promises to be a significant test for the Patriots as they continue their playoff journey.
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