Mississippi State signee Busby takes perfect record to mound tonight

At times this season, the Porters Chapel Eagles have looked like they were on cruise control, just going through the motions to get through the year.

And, they’re quick to admit, it wasn’t just appearances.

But one look at the Eagles’ track record reveals a scary fact. Even with a less than full effort, they’ve gone 30-3. They’re averaging nearly 10 runs a game. So maybe they just haven’t needed to put out a full effort every time out – until now.

The Eagles open the MPSA Class AA playoffs tonight at 6 when they host Columbia Academy (14-11), and are well aware it’s time to turn up the intensity.

&#8220We’ve been going through the motions a lot lately and we’re still beating teams. But in the playoffs we’re going to have to bring our A-game,” PCA first baseman Moose Carney said. &#8220We’re going to have to turn the switch on.”

Part of the reason PCA has looked lifeless at time this season is it has just been making the game look easy. PCA has scored nearly 350 runs in 33 games. Four players have scored at least 40 runs, and every regular starter has driven in at least 20. Left fielder Hayden Hales leads the team with a whopping 60 RBIs.

Even further down the lineup, PCA is dangerous. The starter with the lowest average is center fielder and No. 8 hitter Spencer Pell, who still has a respectable .333 average.

The Eagles aren’t all about hitting, though.

Ace pitcher Michael Busby, a Mississippi State signee who will start Game 1 of the best-of-three series tonight, is 8-0 with a 0.60 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 46 innings.

PCA will throw Hales (6-1, 2.73 ERA, 39 strikeouts) in Game 2 Thursday at Columbia, and if a Game 3 is necessary Friday in Vicksburg, Cole Smith (6-0, 2.10 ERA, three walks in 34 innings) will likely get the ball.

&#8220The thing about baseball is, on different days the kids are different. Nine out of 10 days, they’re probably better than us,” Columbia coach Brandon Thornhill said. &#8220But when it comes to the playoffs, it’s who gets hot at the right time.”

Columbia is making its first playoff appearance since 2001, but Thornhill will bring to Pierce Field a team loaded with eight seniors who have won 12 of 18 games since a slow 2-5 start.

The Cougars have a pair of junior college signees in Hunter Farrar (Mississippi Gulf Coast) and Ryan Havard (SW Miss.). Farrar is the team’s ace, with a 4-4 record.

Despite the talent and experience, though, Thornhill added that his team has been inconsistent at times this season.

&#8220It seems like we never put all three parts together, running, hitting and defense. We hit the ball average and try to score about six or seven runs a game,” he said. &#8220We’re inconsistent. That’s what I would call us.”

That’s a description that doesn’t quite fit PCA. While the Eagles have had their ups and downs, even the downs have been better than most teams. And now that it’s time to play, Busby said the Eagles know they need to be up.

&#8220I like to think we play better ball than we have all year. But we’ve been playing good lately,” Busby said. &#8220We definitely get more excited for bigger games. We can turn it on when we want to. But we don’t want to have to turn it on too late.”