After 10-inning HS baseball marathon, Charlotte Christian sneaks past Providence Day
After getting bounced 9-2 in the first of back-to-back games Thursday night against the Charlotte Christian Knights, the Providence Day Chargers came back Friday night and made a game of it. It took 10 innings but Charlotte Christian finally edged Providence Day 4-3.
Tanner McCammon’s base hit in the bottom of the tenth inning plated Jude Utermark for the winning run as the Knights stayed unbeaten in the CISAA at 6-0.
“We got our first two guys on so I knew I had to at advance them at the least and hopefully hit one in,” said McCammon. “They had been throwing me off-speed pitches, change ups and curveballs all night. I was expecting another changeup and I got it up in the zone. It was just good to come through for my team.”
Both starting pitchers were outstanding. Knights’ ace Calvert Clark (Clemson commit) struck out 12 in six innings. Providence Day starter Bo Ziegler was equally impressive yielding only five hits in seven innings. Charlotte Christian relief pitcher, Everette Harris, threw three strong innings to notch the victory, giving up no runs on three hits and striking out eight. In the seventh inning Harris retired the side on the minimum nine pitches with two strikeouts. Providence Day got on the board in the top of the first inning. After Austin Ward walked with one out, Tyler Nee rapped a double in the left-center field gap to score Ward.
Charlotte Christian answered quickly in its half of the first as leadoff batter Utermark (Ole Miss commit) hit the first pitch he saw over the right-center field wall for a home run, tying the game at 1-1.
After scratching out a run in the fourth inning to take a 2-1 lead, Providence Day had a golden opportunity to increase its lead in the top of the fifth. A bloop single followed by two bunt singles loaded the bases with nobody out. But Clark hunkered down to strike out the next three batters which included the meat of the Chargers’ order (3,4,& 5 hitters) to get out of the jam.
“It’s just from experience from my sophomore year, to my junior year until now,” said Clark when asked about getting out of the bases-loaded jam. “I’ve been in this situation before. You have to breathe, calm yourself down, tell yourself you’ve got this, trust your pitches and know you’ve got guys behind you that can make plays.”
The Knights took their first lead half in their half of the fifth inning. A lead-off walk to John Lash was followed by a sacrifice bunt. With Lash on second Drew Beard’s single plated Lash to tie the game at 2-2. Beard stole second and scored on DJ Layton’s single for a 3-2 Charlotte Christian lead.
THREE WHO MATTERED
Calvert Clark, Charlotte Christian: Knights’ senior starting pitcher went six innings, yielding three runs, six hits, walking four and striking out 12.
Bo Ziegler, Providence Day: Chargers’ junior starting pitcher pitched seven solid innings giving up just three runs on five hits, striking out seven and walking only one. Ziegler also went 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of singles.
Tanner McCammon, Charlotte Christian: Junior shortstop had the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 10th inning, and also went 2-for-2 at the plate and was on base three times.
WORTH MENTIONING, ETC
* Christian’s Greg Simmons will be looking for his 16th NCISAA state baseball title in his 31st season as head coach of the Knights.
* In addition to Utermark and Clark, Charlotte Christian has four other baseball players committed to colleges. (Ryan O’Rourke – Pitt), (Everette Harris – NC State), (Wesley Jones – Charlotte 49ers), (Tanner McCammon – Elon). Knights left fielder Jakeman Pendleton is committed to Furman to play football.
* Former long-time, 30-year senior pastor of Church at Charlotte, Jim Kallam, is the pitching coach for Charlotte Christian.
* The Knights’ JV baseball team bested Providence Day 12-2 prior to the varsity game.
RECORDS: Providence Day (7-7, 4-2), Charlotte Christian (16-2, 6-0)
WHAT’S NEXT: Providence Day begins play in the three-day Jack Sink tournament Monday talking on East Forsyth (Kernersville, NC) at 4:00 p.m. at East Meck.
Tuesday the Chargers will take on Charlotte Catholic at 4 p.m., also at East Meck. The Chargers will conclude the tournament Wednesday meeting Mallard Creek at 7 p.m. at Myers Park. Charlotte Christian comes right back for a game Saturday traveling to Lexington, South Carolina (suburban Columbia) Saturday to meet the Lexington Wildcats at 12 noon.
THEY SAID IT
“I think we’re playing well but there’s still things we need to do. We’re really young. We start two freshmen so we still have some growing pains. So, there’s some things we need to clean up but I’m happy with our guys.” Knights’ coach Greg Simmons assessing where his team is two thirds into the regular season.
This story was originally published April 9, 2022 at 12:03 AM.
