Columbus comes out on losing end of pitching duel to Cairo

Normally, a performance like what Columbus pitcher Trent Grantham delivered Friday against Cairo would be more than enough for a victory.

Grantham worked himself out of trouble repeatedly, escaping high-pressure situations in the first three innings. He gave up six hits and one unearned run in seven innings of work, striking out three Syrupmakers along the way.

The problem for Grantham and the Blue Devils was that against Cairo and pitcher Emerson Hancock, there was no wiggle room to work with.

Cairo topped Columbus 1-0 in a pitcher's duel between teams among the best in Region 1-4A. Hancock, a Georgia signee, was unwavering against the Blue Devils, only allowing two hits in seven innings on the mound. He also struck out three batters.

The Syrupmakers struck for their first run in the top of the fourth inning. A single followed by a walk set Cairo up with its first real threat in scoring. The Syrupmakers then came through with a single to take a 1-0 lead, although it wasn’t without some drama.

With plenty of time to work with, the Cairo runner slid short of home plate, panicked then crawled to touch the plate before the ball reached the catcher.

As unusual as the play was, it was enough in a game featuring two strong starting pitchers.

Cairo tacked on another run in the top of the seventh. With Grantham still on the mound for the Blue Devils, the Syrupmakers took advantage of an error and two wild pitches to put another runner within striking distance of an additional run. With a runner on third, Cairo added a single, pushing the lead to 2-0.

Columbus had one last chance to answer but found themselves still struggling to figure Hancock out. The Blue Devils had a lineout and two groundouts to end the game.

Columbus catcher Gage Dempsey and right fielder Clayton Duncan had the only hits for the Blue Devils, each coming through with singles.

As the only regular season meeting between two teams who may very well wind up in the driver’s seat in the region, Hancock’s lockdown showing may prove to be the deciding factor in the region race.

This story was originally published March 31, 2017 at 6:44 PM with the headline "Columbus comes out on losing end of pitching duel to Cairo."