Morgan Academy baseball wins at Fort Dale, loses to Southern Academy

Coming off a split area doubleheader with Fort Dale Academy at home on Thursday, March 31 in which Andrew Thomas pitched a complete game one shutout, the Morgan Academy Senators varsity baseball team dropped two non-area games on the road in the Southern Academy Baseball Tournament on Friday, April 1.

Thomas didn't allow a single run against Fort Dale Academy, pitching a complete game shutout and leading the Morgan Academy Senators varsity to a 6-0 victory in game one of a doubleheader at home on Thursday. But Fort Dale handed the Senators their first area loss of the season in game two 11-9.

On Friday, however, the Senators fell to Pickens Academy 7-5 and to Ezekiel Academy 8-4 to go 15-6 overall and 5-1 in area play on the season.

In game one on Thursday at home against Fort Dale, the Senators got things started in the first inning when Davis Vardaman drove in one run on a triple. 

The Senators added three runs in the third inning with T.B. Clements hitting an RBI double.

Thomas was the winning pitcher for Morgan. The righty allowed five hits and zero runs over seven innings, striking out 11.

The Senators collected seven hits in the game. Clements and Vardaman each collected two hits for Morgan Academy while the Senators didn't commit a single error in the field. 

Also on Thursday, the Senators clawed back but fell just short of Fort Dale in game two, taking their first area loss of 2022.

Morgan Academy tallied eight runs in the failed comeback. Clements, Vardaman, John Allen Ingram, C.J. Crocker, Thomas and Matthew Hand fueled the rally with RBIs for the Senators, who collected seven hits.

The Senators got on the board in the first inning when Vardaman singled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run.

After Fort Dale Academy scored two runs in the top of the seventh, Morgan Academy answered with two of their own.  Fort Dale scored two runs on batters being hit by a pitch. But Morgan Academy answered when Hand grounded out, scoring two runs.

Fort Dale Academy pulled away for good with four runs in the third inning. But Morgan Academy notched three runs in the sixth inning with Crocker and Thomas moving runners across the plate with RBIs.

Vardaman was on the mound for Morgan Academy. The righthander lasted four innings, allowing three hits and five runs while striking out five.  Ingram, Hand, and Jack Moore contributed in relief.