Eagles take varsity diamond wins

by Dunn Area Sports Staff | Mar 11, 2020 | Cape Fear Christian Academy

Rhyleigh Horne pitched a 3-hitter for CFCA on Tuesday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Al Myatt)

Cape Fear Christian Academy’s varsity baseball and softball teams prepared for the start of Sandhills Athletic Conference play on Friday with wins earlier in the week.

After two postponements, the Eagles opened their season in baseball on Monday with a 17-7 win at Lee Christian in six innings.

CFCA, the defending NCISAA 1-A champions in softball, downed 2-A Freedom Christian of Rocky Mount, 7-1, at home on Tuesday to improve to 2-0 as freshman Rhyleigh Horne pitched a three-hitter and helped her own cause by going 3-for-3 with two RBIs at the plate.

Horne had a no-hitter in a 12-0 win at Faith in 2019.

Faith (2-4-1) scored an unearned run in the top of the second on Tuesday before CFCA answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning. The Eagles (2-0) added two runs in the fifth.

Horne allowed three walks and struck out 10.

Eighth-grader Aubree Bass was 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the win. Mars Hill signee Paige Jeffries was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs driven in. Anslee McLamb was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Meghan Taylor and Claire Parker also had hits.

Varsity baseball

The Eagles scored six runs with two out in the top of the first. Zeke Brock walked, stole second and went to third on an overthrow to center. He stole home as the catcher threw the ball back to the pitcher. Trevor McLamb and A.J. McGarvey had singles and Deshawn Woods had a 2-run double later in the inning.

McGarvey had a 2-run double in the second for an 8-2 lead after a single by Reid Miller and a double by McLamb.

The Eagles extended the lead to 10-5 in the fourth as Brock singled and Miller singled to bring him in. McLamb walked and scored on an error.

McGarvey singled in the sixth and CFCA got the benefit of seven walks to add seven runs.

Jake Tyndall started and went five innings. He allowed eight hits while walking one and striking out 10. Brock finished on the mound, retiring the Falcons two, three and four hitters on two strikeouts and a fly to right. That trio had been 7-for-8.

McGarvey went 4-for-4, Miller was 3-for-4, McLamb went 2-for-3 and Tyndall was 2-for-5. Jaden Crumley had four RBIs.

Varsity soccer

Host Lee Christian dropped CFCA to 1-2 with a 9-0 loss at Lee on Monday.

Middle School baseball

CFCA was topped 16-6 by Freedom Christian in middle school baseball on Monday at CFCA as 10 walks and a hit batter in the third led to a 10-run inning for the visitors.

“We weren’t able to overcome that inning,” said CFCA coach Bill Parrish. “It’s a process. … I know we will get more efficient and better in all positions.”

Tony Cornette and Wyatt Medlin had hits in the setback. Two runs scored for CFCA in their last turn at the plate when the ball hit Thomas Honeycutt’s bat in the ready position behind his shoulder. The carom went into fair play and the visitors had an error on the throw to first.

Honeycutt started the defensive play of the game for the Eagles in the first inning in left field. He tracked down a hit at the fence and threw to River Ennis. His relay throw to Medlin at third resulted in a tag out.

The Eagles slipped to 1-1 overall and in the Southeastern Conference.

Upcoming games

CFCA hosts Fayetteville Christian on Friday in varsity baseball, girls soccer and softball. Baseball and softball are scheduled for 4 p.m. starts. Girls soccer begins at 5:30 p.m.