Sherwood Christian slams Grace Christian 11-1 on senior night

ALBANY – The losing streak is over — and for Sherwood Christian Academy, the timing couldn’t have been better.

Sherwood Christian snapped a seven-game skid and closed out the regular season on a high note Tuesday afternoon, rolling past Grace Christian Academy with an 11-1 run-rule victory on Senior Night.

Before first pitch, the Eagles honored their senior class — Will Kroll, Evan Carpenter, Aaron Mackey, Micahl Hall and Qwinton Murray — a group that has helped shape the program and now leaves it in position to reach the postseason.

The win pushed the Eagles to 11-9 on the season and kept their postseason hopes alive. Entering the final days before the bracket is set, Sherwood sits at No. 12 in the GIAA Class AA rankings — the final playoff spot if the standings hold once other teams complete their schedules.

After a difficult stretch, the Eagles looked like a different team from the start.

Grace Christian struck first in the opening inning when Zeke Brown delivered an RBI single, but Sherwood answered quickly. An error helped the Eagles even the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the first, setting the tone for a game that soon tilted heavily in their favor.

Sherwood seized control in the third inning and never looked back. Taking advantage of another Grace Christian miscue, the Eagles grabbed the lead before Brandon Hemmings ripped a single down the right-field line to drive in a run and extend the advantage.

From there, Sherwood’s offense kept the pressure on.

Michael Merritt, Aaron Mackey and Hemmings each collected two hits, while Mackey and Hemmings drove in three runs apiece to lead the charge. The Eagles were aggressive on the bases all afternoon, swiping 13 stolen bases — with Merritt, Carpenter and Hemmings each recording multiple steals.

Sherwood also showed patience at the plate, drawing six walks and consistently forcing Grace Christian pitchers into difficult counts.

On the mound, Murray made his Senior Night one to remember, delivering a strong outing to earn the win. The right-hander allowed just three hits and one run over 4 2/3 innings while striking out seven and walking one. John Butler came on in relief to finish off the run-rule victory.

Grace Christian’s Brown paced his team with a 2-for-3 performance and an RBI, while also contributing on the bases, but the Eagles were unable to keep up with Sherwood’s offensive surge.

Now, Sherwood turns its attention to the postseason picture.

With the regular season complete, the Eagles find themselves squarely on the playoff bubble — but with momentum back on their side after Tuesday’s performance. If the rankings hold, Sherwood will sneak into the GIAA Class AA state tournament as the No. 12 seed, giving a team that endured a midseason slump — and sent its seniors out with a win — a chance to reset and make noise when it matters most.