Trojans Blank Vikings 8-0 to Advance in NCCSA State Playoffs
The Bethel Christian Academy Trojans continued their dominant playoff run on Tuesday afternoon with an 8-0 shutout victory over the Vandalia Christian Vikings in the second round of the NCCSA state playoffs.
Coming off a commanding 26-1 win over New Life Christian Academy in the opening round, the Trojans faced an early challenge but escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the second inning. They responded with a five-run outburst in the bottom half to seize control of the game.
Braden Cash sparked the scoring by drawing a walk, stealing second and then coming home on a Jonathan White RBI single. Levi Gates added an RBI hit, and Luke Donoho brought in another run with a sacrifice fly. Jamey Williams capped the inning with a two-run single, putting Bethel firmly in the driver’s seat.
White drove in another run with a single in the fifth inning before scoring on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 7-0. In the sixth, Williams scored again after a single and a series of Viking errors, adding an insurance run.
Williams led the offense, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs, while White went 2-for-3 with two RBIs as well.
On the mound, Cooper Williams got the start for the Trojans, tossing four strong innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight. Cash pitched two scoreless innings in relief, allowing no hits and striking out two, while Williams closed it out with a hitless, scoreless seventh inning, recording one strikeout.
With the win, Bethel advances to the third round of the playoffs, where they’ll face Southside Christian on Friday at 7 p.m. at Wilson Christian Academy, which will also host the semifinal and championship games.
Southside Christian, the Trojans’ next opponent, earned their spot with a 1-0 upset over Cramerton Christian Academy on Tuesday night. The Trojans and Warriors have already met once this season, with Bethel winning that matchup 6-3 in late March.
After the game, Trojan head coach Kenny Sutton commented, “I knew it would be a competitive game. I thought my guys did well—not their best, but well—and we move on. I’m very proud of them for that.”
Looking ahead to the semifinals, Sutton kept the message simple: “Now it’s fun time!”
