FLEMING ISLAND - With matching 11-3 records, the Clay Blue Devils traveled across town to face off against intra-county rival Fleming Island Golden Eagles for some Friday night action under the lights.

Less than 24 hours prior, on Thursday, it was the Lady Blue Devils who came to Fleming Island to take the win in the Thursday night matchup.

On Friday, Clay was rolling into the game after a previous nights five inning 10-0 win over Orange Park. Thursday, Fleming Island was visiting the not too friendly hosts at St. Johns Country Day who sent the Golden Eagles home early with an 11-1 six inning loss.

Friday’s clash was something like a chess match with each team seeing who would make the first move.

“We talked about this game several weeks ago, had several games in there, but really, it was one game at a time,” said Clay Head Coach Josh Persinger. “On Wednesday, we had the worst game of the season for us. Preparation was not there. I was not pleased with some things, so we went back to work. Tonight, was the best pre-game we’ve taken. I have a phrase; we have to beat them at everything. Tonight, we were focused.”

Finally in the top of the third inning, the Blue Devils would get a run around and draw first blood. The Golden Eagles had no answer for the bottom of the inning and Clay added another run in the top of the fourth. Fleming Island could do no better than a single run in the bottom of the fourth as the Clay Blue Devils used a stout defense with 12 strikeouts from pitchers Elijah Roberts and Merrick Rapoza to take the Friday night showdown, 3-1.

Clay’s Roberts would go five innings on the mound, earning the win.

“It feels great,” said Roberts. “I did everything right. It was one of those games where everything I was throwing was working. A lot of them were moving up on the plate more, trying to cut off that outside fastball that they haven’t been able to hit, but it didn’t work. It was just a great game. I don’t know what to say, I just did me.”

Roberts would go through five innings, giving up only a single hit, one run, zero walks, and 10 strikeouts. Roberts was pulled after the fifth inning only due to pitch count. Rapoza came in for the final two innings, earning the save.

After the first two batters hit back to Rapoza which he turned both for outs, he commented about the one that did make contact.

“The second one caught me right in the thigh, but I’m good,” said Rapoza, used to contact as the Blue Devil football quarterback. I didn’t feel it, probably from the adrenaline.”

Rapoza had no hits, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts, including the final Fleming Island batter to shut down the Golden Eagles. “I struck him out with fastballs. He didn’t even swing once.”

After feeling one another out for two innings, the Clay Dugout got things roller with Sean Alvers singling to center field with no outs. Alvers was brought around when Cole Carnell nailed an RBI double line drive to left field, 1-0.

After the Golden Eagles couldn’t answer, Clay started the top of the fourth with a walk for Parker Lowrance. Lowrance got caught stealing second base, but was replaced on base on the next pitch as Easton McMahan popped up to the pitcher who errored and missed the ball. McMahan made his way to second base off a wild pitch with Chase Haggard in the batter’s box. Haggard drove a line drive into center field to score McMahan, 2-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, with two outs, Fleming Island looked like they had a fire started as Jackson Mercer singled off a grounder to third base. Jonah Friedman came in as a courtesy runner for Mercer. Anders Chadwell drove a deep fly ball to center field which Clay had issues getting a play on. With the error in the outfield, Friedman came around the bases to get the Golden Eagles on the board, 2-1.

“A year ago in this program, we had eight wins,†said Fleming Island Head Coach Gil Morales. “We are 100 percent right now where we need to be at. To be realistic, what I asked these seniors to do to turn this thing around and get it back on track is very difficult. No, we don’t want to drop two in a row. But, we are 11-4 through 15 games. If you would have told me that at the beginning of the year, I would have said, ah- I don’t know about that. Are we on track? Absolutely. This is a great game between Clay and Fleming Island. This is the closest you will get to post season baseball. We learned a lot about our team tonight.â€

Both teams would go three at bats with three quick outs.

In the top of the sixth, Merrick Rapoza was hit by the first pitch. Rapoza found his way to third base after a Lowrance right field single. McMahan took one for the team driving a deep fly ball to center field for the sacrifice RBI to bring Rapoza home for the final score of the game, 3-1.