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NATCHEZ — Thanks to strong pitching from Ethan Keith and Doug Smith as well as timely base hits by a number of players, the Cathedral High School Green Wave earned a doubleheader sweep of the Copiah Academy Colonels last Thursday afternoon at Chester Willis Field.

Cathedral jumped out to a big lead and then held on for a 9-5 win over Copiah Academy in Game 1 and then the Green Wave scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to pull away for a 6-2 win over the Colonels in Game 2. The games were originally scheduled to take place on Friday afternoon, but were rescheduled for Thursday afternoon.

In the first game, Cathedral jumped on Copiah Academy starting pitcher Will Drew early and often. The Green Wave scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Drake Cox was hit by a pitch and that brought in a run. Keith singled down to the left field line to bring in another run. Walker Probst walked in a run and Owen Jordan lined into a fielder’s choice to bring in a run for a 4-0 lead.

Then in the bottom of the second, Tristan Fondren and Landon French each hit RBI singles to give the Green Wave a 6-0 lead. And that was it for Drew, who only lasted one and one-third innings and gave up six runs, all of them earned, on five hits with two strikeouts and three walks. He was charged with the loss on the mound for the Colonels.

Logan Albright came on in relief and he did his best to keep Copiah Academy in the game. He went one inning and gave up one earned run in the bottom of the third inning on no hits but also two walks.

Russum McDonnell went three and two-thirds innings and gave up two runs, none of them earned, on three hits and two walks.

For the most part, Keith had a solid performance on the mound for the Green Wave. He allowed just one run over the first five innings and that was in the top of the fourth inning, which made it a 7-1 game.

Then Copiah Academy got to him in the top of the sixth inning for four runs to cut the Green Wave’s lead to 7-5. But the Green Wave scored two big runs off McDonnell in the bottom of the sixth to go ahead 9-5. Keith got the first out in the top of the seventh before giving way to Eli Wilson, who needed just six pitches to get the final two outs of the game.

Keith earned the win on the mound after allowing five runs, only one of them earned, on seven hits with four strikeouts, two walks, and one hit batter over his six and one-third innings. Fondren had a big game at the plate by going 3-for-4 with one RBI and three runs scored while Smith went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. For Copiah Academy, Hadley Watts was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Jack Kitchens had a triple to with two RBIs.

In Game 2, the Green Wave jumped out to a quick lead thanks to a single by Ethan Keith that brought in three runs. The Colonels responded by scoring one run each in the top of the second and third innings to make it a 3-2 game.

However, Cathedral took control thanks to three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Neither team scored after that.

Smith went the distance and gave up two runs, both of them earned, on four this with nine strikeouts and just one walk. The Green Wave’s defense was solid in Game 2 with just one error after committing four errors in Game 1.

Fondren picked up in Game 2 where he left off in Game 1 at the plate as he went 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs, and one run scored. Houston Edwards also stepped up by going 2-for-3 with one run scored and Keith was 1-for-3 with three RBIs.

Jackson Teasley got the start for Copiah Academy. He went six innings and allowed six runs, three of them earned, on eight hits with six strikeouts and three walks. He also drove in one run. Hayes Gills led the Colonels at the plate by going 2-for-4 with a triple and one run scored. Kitchens had a double and one RBI.

With the wins, Cathedral improved to 11-8 overall and 2-1 in MAIS District 4-5A. The Green Wave next plays on Tuesday, April 1 when it plays host to district and cross-town rival Adams County Christian School at Chester Willis Field with the junior varsity game at 4:30 p.m., followed by the varsity game at 6:30 p.m.