The Sandy Creek

Patriots ended the 2003 baseball season on a down note, with only two

hits in a 13-3 loss to Crisp County in Cordele, but in closed out a fine

season that saw the program go farther than it ever has.

Coach Eddy

Householder, in his fourth season at the helm, saw his team follow up

last year's first-ever trip to the state playoffs by advancing to the

second round after defeating Cross Creek in three games in Augusta. The

Patriots finished the season with a 17-12 record, but they concluded the

regular season by winning eight out of nine in the region to secure the

playoff spot.

Saturday's

loss, in six innings, came after a two-day layoff. The Patriots split

last Wednesday's doubleheader before bad weather forced them to wait around

until the weekend to finish the series.

"We got

a little momentum after winning the second game," Householder said.

"The rain messed us up."

But the team

started strong Saturday, with three runs in the top of the first off Crisp

County's top pitcher, who was able to come back for Game 3 after the extra

two days of rest. Crisp County got five runs of their own in the bottom

of the first with the help of several walks.

"He [Crisp

County pitcher] was a little shaky in the first, but after that he was

good," said Householder. "We had trouble throwing strikes."

The score remained

5-3 for a while, until Crisp County broke the game open with five more

runs in the fifth and three in the sixth. The game was called after six

innings due to the 10-run rule.

Householder

was disappointed after the loss, but he reminded his players, "When

the state playoffs come, only one team leaves happy."

He was especially

pleased with his senior class, which came in as freshmen his first year

at Sandy Creek. "I feel good about them," he said. "They

accomplished a lot."

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