Porters Chapel Academy’s Josh Rush delivers a pitch against Leake Academy on Wednesday. (Melanie Duncan ThortisThe Vicksburg Post)

(03/13/03)With a blazing 70 mph fastball and a curve that couldn’t drop off the table if you pushed it, Josh Rush isn’t a threat to be mistaken for Greg Maddux anytime soon.

For one day Wednesday, however, he was the king of the hill for Porters Chapel Academy.

Rush, a senior who plays third base and catcher, made his first career start as a pitcher and shut down Leake Academy. He allowed only three hits and one walk, and struck out six in a five-inning complete game as PCA won, 12-1.

“It was fun, because nobody was really expecting anything big from me so I just threw,” Rush said.

The Eagles (6-2) backed Rush with 12 hits. Chip Lofton led the assault by going 3-for-3 with a triple, double, and an RBI, Gerald Mims was 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs, and Wes Massey and Ryan Hoben had two hits apiece.

Eight of PCA’s nine starters had at least one hit, and the Eagles scored 11 of their 12 runs with two outs a day after stranding 16 baserunners in a loss to Benton.

As good as PCA’s hitting in the clutch was, it took a back seat to Rush’s performance.

PCA was playing its fifth game in three days at its spring break tournament, and the pitching was depleted. None of the Eagles’ top three pitchers were available, and even little-used relievers like Dan Ivey and Tyler Wells had seen action in the last two days. The situation was so bad, Wright canceled a morning game against Central Hinds because of a lack of fresh arms.

When Rush showed up at Pierce Field around noon, Wright told him he was pitching.

“I thought he was messing with me at first,” Rush said with a laugh. “Every one of our pitchers has thrown in the last couple of days, so I just figured I had to. I just tried to throw strikes.”

Wright hoped to get two or three innings out of the senior, but instead got a gem once Rush remembered his instructions.

“We talked about it before the game, not throwing anything down the middle and let’s work the outside corners and keep everything away from them,” PCA coach Randy Wright said. “Then he gets on the mound and throws to three batters and throws three belt-high fastballs, and they tattooed the first three pitches he threw.”

The first fastball, a shot by leadoff hitter Clay Casevechia to the gap in left-center, was tracked down by PCA center fielder Chase Towne for an out. Towne dropped the next one, though, and Allen Byrd followed with a hard single to left.

After Rush walked Colby Beem to load the bases, he settled in and struck out the next two batters to end the inning. When he got back to the dugout, he offered a sheepish apology to Wright.

“I hollered out there, Josh, I thought we were going to work the corner!’ And he’s like, oh yeah,'” Wright said. “He came over to the dugout and said, coach, I’m sorry, I just completely forgot I was supposed to be working the outside corner. I was just throwing it across the plate and trying to throw strikes.'”

VHS 15, Olive Branch 0

Justin Boler pitched a complete-game shutout and Vicksburg battered Oliver Branch (10-2) for 13 hits in a victory.

Paul Gorney had two doubles, a home run and four RBIs, while Josh McBride had a pair of doubles and two RBIs and Steven Price had two singles and a double. Sean Gibbs and Rob Quimby each had home runs in the win.

Callaway 14, St. Aloysius 2

Charlie Amborn had a pair of hits, while Chad Cox and Jason Brown had one each as the St. Aloysius Flashes finished the Capital City Classic 1-2.

“We were not mentally prepared,” Flashes coach Joe Graves said. “We can’t just step off the bus ready to play.”