CPS topples mistake-prone Eagles|[05/02/07]

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, May 2, 2007

All through their two-week run-up to the playoffs, the Porters Chapel Eagles shrugged off their lackadaisical play and uncharacteristic mistakes. They can turn it on when they need to, they kept saying, even as the miscues and close calls piled up.

Now, they have no choice but to find the switch.

No. 2 PCA had another sloppy game, committing four errors that led to four unearned runs, and No. 3 Central Private took advantage of a rare off-day from Eagles ace Michael Busby to win 8-6 in Game 1 of their best-of-three, second-round MPSA Class AA playoff series.

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Game 2 is Thursday at 5 p.m. in Baker, La., a suburb of Baton Rouge. Game 3, if necessary, will be back in Vicksburg on Friday at 5 p.m. The Eagles will need to improve on their recent play to stay alive. They are 32-5 overall, but just 2-3 in their last five games.

&#8220You can look at the positives and say we didn’t quit. But we gave them six unearned runs,” said PCA coach Randy Wright, whose team twice cut a four-run deficit to two but couldn’t get any closer. &#8220They came in and took it to us.”

Busby, who had a 0.52 ERA and had allowed only 11 walks all season entering the game, walked four and gave up six runs in three innings. Only three of the runs were earned, but two of his walks scored and he gave up a solo home run to Evan Tarter.

Busby struggled with his control throughout his stint, and the Rebels (29-6) jumped on top 6-1 after 2 1/2 innings.

&#8220I couldn’t hit my spots at all. I didn’t have good stuff tonight,” Busby said, shrugging off the suggestion that nerves might have played a part in his struggles. &#8220I wasn’t nervous. I was more anxious than nervous. When I’m nervous, I pitch better.”

Even when Busby did do things right, the Eagles found a way to falter.

Already trailing 3-1 after Tarter’s homer, Busby struck out Jacob Fisher for what should have been the final out of the third inning. Busby’s curveball bounced in the dirt, however, and catcher Cody Ferguson was unable to find it before Fisher reached first.

A walk to Dillon Smiley and an RBI single by Justin Couvillion gave CPS a 4-1 lead and put runners at first and third. The Rebels then tried a double steal. PCA shortstop Cole Smith cut off the throw and fired home, but the ball sailed wide and past Ferguson. The catcher then threw to third to try and get Couvillion, but the ball skipped into left field to allow Couvillion to score and make it 6-1.

&#8220Any time you face a pitcher like Busby, you have to take advantage of anything you get,” Central Private coach Kyle Achord said. &#8220We needed to manufacture runs, and we did a good job of that.”

PCA’s Hayden Hales hit a mammoth three-run homer to center in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 6-4. But Central Private added one run in the fifth – aided by two wild pitches and a goofy nubber off the plate that Ferguson tried to field while standing on home plate, but was unable to corral the ball – and another run in the sixth to make it 8-4.

PCA then mounted one last rally in the bottom of the seventh. Robbie Simms led off with a walk and Busby singled before Moose Carney hit into a double play – the second in as many innings for the Eagles.

Hales followed with a single that kicked off the edge of the grass at shortstop to bring in a run and cut it to 8-5. Ferguson followed that up with a line drive double to right to make it 8-6 and bring the tying run to the plate in Matt Cranfield.

Cranfield, a junior who had already homered, hit an easy grounder to second base to end the game.

Cranfield pitched four strong innings of relief to keep the Eagles in the game.

&#8220We just didn’t bring our A-game today,” Busby said. &#8220We’ve been gearing up for this game all year and didn’t get it done tonight.”