CFNN Reporters Lilly Jordan and Carter Edwards

Third Time’s the Charm: Cape Fear Baseball Defeats the Gray’s Creek Bears 8-1!

The Cape Fear Colts varsity baseball team continued their dominance from last year over Gray’s Creek last week. Showcasing their elite batting skills and playing solid defense, the Colts pulled another one in the win column.

From the very first inning, it was clear that the Colts were in control. Jackson Rainey set the tone with a powerful swing that sent the ball soaring over the  left field fence, igniting the crowd and giving Cape Fear an early lead. Following Rainey’s lead, Landon Underwood stepped up to the plate and delivered another thrilling moment, hitting a home run that further solidified the Colts’ dominance. Not to be outdone, Brycen Talley joined the home run club, adding to the scoreboard and leaving the Bears scrambling to catch up. 

Rainey reflected on the team’s performance, saying, “We practice hard all week. We take every rep seriously, do everything at 100%, and that gives us the ability to do the great things we did in last week’s game.”

On the mound, the Colt pitcher Logan Rayburn was nothing short of spectacular. He only allowed two hits throughout the entire game, showcasing remarkable skill and control. His ability to keep the Bear hitters at bay was a key factor in the Colts success, as he consistently found the strike zone and kept the opposing team off balance. 

Teagun Strahley, a key player on the team, praised the coaching staff, stating, “The coaches are steady helping us getting ready for the season and the games.” With such a strong performance from both the offense and defense, the Colts cruised to a well-deserved victory.

Landon Underwood shared his excitement after hitting his first home run of the season against their biggest rival, saying, “I feel like it was a great experience for me, especially because our rivals. We did a great job at keeping our heads in the game, and I feel like it was a great execution from everybody.” 

This win not only highlights the Colts power on the field, but also sets the stage for an exciting season ahead. Fans are eagerly looking forward to seeing what the team will accomplish next.

Cape Fear put on a thrilling display of talent, featuring home runs from Talley, Underwood, and Rainey, along with an outstanding pitching performance that limited the Bears to just two hits. 

Cape Fear Falls Short

The team then hosted the Lumberton Pirates Friday March, 28. Unfortunately, the offensive firepower from earlier in the week couldn’t be found, as the Colts were blanked by the Pirates 4-0. The game was a pitcher’s duel for the most part with all of the Pirates runs scored in the 1st inning. Cape Fear was solid on defense after the shaky start, but the Colts just weren’t able to find their footing in the batter’s box. 

Cape Fear couldn’t get their barrels on the ball throughout the game with DH Mason Hope and infielder Jackson Rainey getting the only hits of the game for the Colts. This was a turn around after a winning streak with good hitting from the Colts. Lumberton’s pitching just proved to be superior that night.

“The games we hit well in were great, but having that many hard hit balls and hits isn’t sustainable over a larger sample size of games. Sometimes when you have games like that, it creates bad habits. It also gives a false sense of accomplishment. Baseball is a punishing game too. One night, you see a pitcher that doesn’t have his best stuff and you tear the cover off the ball. The next game, you see a guy that’s locked in and you don’t sniff him. Adjustments are crucial. As we continue to learn as a team, we have to make adjustments based on what the team needs at the time,” Coach Britt explained.

Caden Jeffery pitched the entire game, notching ten strikeouts and facing 27 batters. Jeffery only had 4 earned runs in the first inning, then pitched a great game for all 7 innings. The team as a whole had a solid fielding performance, but unfortunately the Colts could not catch momentum at the plate. 

The Colts will be back in action this week, with games against Douglas Byrd on Tuesday, then a road trip to Jack Britt on Friday before their Easter Tournament at Terry Sanford. Cape Fear will play Lee County in the first round of the tournament.