By By SCOTT COOPER – Sports Writer
After a recent stretch in which they dropped three of four games, the Jefferson Davis Warhawks enter the final week of conference play with a sense of urgency.
In their last four outings, JDCC fell victim to Chattahoochee Valley Community College in a twin bill before splitting a double-header against Wallace-Selma.
Currently standing at 16-26 on the season and 7-13 within the conference, the Warhawks find themselves in an uphill battle as they attempt to gain one of four spots in the conference playoffs.
Chattahoochee Valley 4
Warhawks 3
In the opening game of an April 19 double-header against the Chattahoochee Valley Pirates played in Phenix City, the Warhawks and Pirates took turns holding the upper hand before Chattahoochee gained the win in the final inning.
JDCC grabbed the lead with a run in the top of the second, as an RBI single by Dustin Holtzclaw placed the Warhawks at a 1-0 advantage.
The Pirates quickly responded with a run on two hits in the bottom of the second to deadlock the score, 1-1.
In the top of the third inning, the Warhawks once again mounted a rally that allowed them to regain the lead. Josh Hasty reached on a single before stealing second base. Steven Cadenhead then came through with an RBI double that once again moved JDCC out front, 2-1.
The Warhawks' lead remained intact until the Pirates came to bat in the bottom of the fifth. Then, an error coupled with a base hit accounted for a run that tied things up, 2-2.
Chattahoochee Valley gained its first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth. Two hits moved a runner across the plate while gained the hosts a 3-2 advantage.
The Warhawks, however, answered with a run to knot the score in the top of the seventh. Bo Keahey and Holtzclaw each drew walks, and then John Huval ripped a single that drove home Keahy while evening the score at 3-3.
With one last chance to end the game in regulation, the Pirates responded with a run that did just that. A base hit was followed by a sacrifice bunt that put a baserunner in scoring position. A clutch hit followed that moved the runner across the plate while earning Chattahoochee a 4-3 victory.
Offensive leaders for the Warhawks were John Huval, 1-for-1 with one RBI; Dustin Holtzclaw, 1-for-2 with one RBI and Steven Cadenhead, 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Chattahoochee Valley 8
Warhawks 1
Although the first three innings of the nightcap was played to a scoreless tie, the Pirates used a fourth-inning offensive explosion to propel themselves to a decisive win.
With the game tied 0-0 as they came to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Pirates went on a five-hit rampage that produced five runs and placed the Warhawks in position of coming back from a 5-0 deficit.
After JDCC scored a lone run in the top of the fifth that cut the hosts' lead to 5-1, Chattahoochee put the game away with its next at bat.
Three more base hits accounted for three more runs while giving the Pirates an 8-1 lead that stood up to the end.
JDCC leaders at the plate were Eli Himes, 1-for-2 with one RBI; Phil Currid, 1-for-3 and Steven Cadenhead, 1-for-3.
Wallace-Selma 10
Warhawks 5
An April 22 twin bill on the road against Wallace-Selma CC saw the Warhawks drop the opener before rebounding with a win in the nightcap.
Wallace-Selma raced out to an early lead in the opening game, as four first-inning base hits brought home three runs and gave the hosts a 3-0 advantage. Then, five more runs in the bottom of the second placed Wallace completely in command, 8-0.
The Warhawks scored a couple of runs in the top of the third before Josh Hasty's inside-the-park home run in the sixth allowed three more runs across the plate, but the effort was not enough to prevent Wallace-Selma from emerging with a comfortable 10-5 victory.
Offensive leaders for JDCC were Steven Cadenhead, 2-for-2; Dustin Holtzclaw, 1-for-2 with one RBI; Josh Hasty, 1-for-3 with three RBIs and John Huval, 1-for-3.
Warhawks 15
Wallace-Selma 8
The Warhawks regrouped after the opener and batted their way to an impressive win in the nightcap.
In the top of the first inning, RBIs by Steven Cadenhead, Jack Schwartz and Dustin Holtzclaw moved JDCC out front, 3-0.
After the hosts came back with a run in the bottom half of the first, the Warhawks took command with four more runs in the top of the second that pushed the lead to 7-1.
A big JDCC third inning put the game completely out of reach. Cadenhead's RBI single and Leon Brasington's two-RBI double were the major forces in a six-run rally that escalated the Warhawks further ahead, 13-1.
Although Wallace came back with three runs in the bottom of the third and four more in the fourth, it was not nearly enough to prevent the Warhawks from exiting with a 15-8 win.
Dustin Blakey notched the win, allowing 10 hits over 3 2/3 innings while Raphael Kyles gave-up three hits over three innings to earn a save.
Pacing the Warhawks offensively were Steven Cadenhead, 3-for-4 with three RBIs; Leon Brasington, 2-for-3 with two RBIs; Jack Schwartz, 1-for-2 with one RBI; Rob Mosley, 1-for-3 with one RBI; Josh Hasty, 1-for-3 and Dustin Holtzclaw, three RBIs.