By By Chandler Myers
Escambia Academy Cougars Head Coach Josh Daugett was familiar with the uniforms that his team’s opponents were wearing Monday in Canoe.
Daugett wore those same colors in the mid-90s when he played baseball at Jay High School in Jay, Fla.
For Daugett, seeing his alma mater playing his EA Cougars was different, but the result he wanted was the same, to win.
Daugett got the result he wanted as the EA Cougars were able to slip past the Royals 9-8 in 10 innings Monday in Canoe.
The Cougars (6-10, 2-6) battled the entire game with Royals and even overcame an early 2-0 deficit that was mounted by a two-run homerun by a Jay Royal in the top of the second inning.
The Cougars bounced back in the bottom of the second to get one run, but they were able to take the lead in bottom of the third with a few big hits.
Cougars’ senior Jon Dean (3-for-6, RBI) started the inning by getting on base with a single and stole his way to second.
Following that steal, Dean’s younger brother James Dean (3-for-6, RBI) ripped an RBI-double that helped the Cougars tie the game at two.
Cougars starting pitcher Keaton Maher then came to the plate and took his turn at the plate seriously.
Maher (1-for-3, 2 RBI) took a couple of pitches and even put a foul ball on top of the Royals’ bus, but sent the next pitch over the left field fence to put the Cougars on top 4-2.
Following the third inning, the two teams battled-back-and-forth with neither able to pull away.
After the first seven innings could not decide a winner, the Cougars and Royals used three extra innings to finalize the score.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Cougar Clayton Dyess (3-for-5, 2RBI), hit a two-RBI single to give the Cougars the 9-8 win over their coach’s alma mater.
Other Cougars unloading offense on the Royals included Brandon Goins (2-for-4), Jarrett Hadley (2-for-6), Ryan Linam (1-for-5) and Chason Roley (1-for-4).
The Escambia Academy Cougars fought off their losing streak to earn a 5-3 victory over the Central Christian Saints last Tuesday in Canoe.
The Cougars (5-10, 2-6) were on a cold streak until the win, which was recorded by pitcher Keaton Maher.
Maher threw seven innings striking out six and walking three.
Cougars Head Coach Josh Daugett said his pitcher pitched a good game against the Saints.
Cougars’ leaders on offense included Ryan Linam (2-for-3, 2 RBI), Keaton Maher (3-for-4, 2 RBI) and Jon Dean (0-for-3, RBI).