Baseball: Country Day opens season with extra inning win over East Jeff

Area Prep Baseball Report for Thursday, Feb. 25

Country Day opened its season Wednesday with an exciting 2-1 victory Wednesday over East Jefferson in eight innings at Pontiff Playground.

The Cajuns scored a run in the bottom of the first inning before the Warriors tied it with a run in the top of the second inning.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the eighth inning when senior Daniel Conwill won the game with an RBI single on a high pop-up which dropped safely, plating Dawson Simmons with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Catcher Dylan Simmons was 3-for-4 with two singles and a double while Conwill had two doubles in the to pace the Cajuns offense.

John Overby pitched four shutout innings in relief of Dawson Simmons, who pitched the first four innings, to pick up the win.

Cameron Lucas started and pitched very well for the Warriors, going seven innings, allowing just one run on four hits. Multi-sport star Jermaine Guilliard had two hits, including an RBI double for the Warriors. Jordan Gasper pitched the final frame and took the loss for East Jefferson.

Country Day coach Tommy Mathews was very pleased with his team’s performance.

“East Jefferson played great on defense, making phenomenal plays and their pitcher threw strikes all day,” Mathews said. “Our two pitchers combined on a 4-hitter and freshman Dawson Simmons closed it out with four shutout innings for us.”

Mathews likes his team’s prospects for 2021.

“I think we are going to be competitive,” Mathews said. “We have pretty good players with a few senior leaders. Dylan Simmons is outstanding. Conwill is good at first base. John Overby, out third baseman, has gotten stronger. We are waiting on senior Hartson Moss when basketball is finished and he will really help us.

Dawson Simmons plays shortstop when he does not pitch and he is an outstanding athlete who is our quarterback in football. We have the most kids we’ve ever had in our program, including a lot of freshmen. I think we are going to be pretty good in 1A.”

Country Day (1-0) will host Lusher Charter at 5 p.m. today at Pontiff Playground while East Jefferson (1-1) returns to action Saturday morning against St. Martin’s Episcopal.

Area Prep Baseball Results from Wednesday, Feb. 24

Country Day 2, East Jefferson 1 (8 innings)

Doyle 10, Loranger 0

Warren Easton 14, Bonnabel 2