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WHITE PINE – History was made by the Lakeway Christian Academy Lions Monday afternoon.

For the first time as a conference foe, the Lions defeated Providence Academy, winning 6-3.

The victory came on the heels of a successful week last week where LCA went 4-1 with wins over Hixson, Dobyns-Bennett, Knox Catholic and Greeneville. Head coach Chuck Hargis built a tough schedule for his team hoping it would pay dividends as was the case on Monday against the Knights.

“This will help us down the road as we will see good arms as we have seen good arms so far this season. We had a tough schedule last week and came out of it at 4-1. In the long run, tough games will help us.”

Hargis said that while beating quality out of conference opponents is good, the main theme for the Lions will be to prevail against teams in their league.

“Coming into this game, we are focusing on the Monday and Tuesday games as those are the ones that mean the most right now. We want to bring our best energy and bring our best baseball on those days.”

The bottom of the lineup carried the day against Providence as Hudson Ford, Luke Burnette and Diego Pinilla had four of LCA’s eight hits with three runs scored and two RBIs. Ford had a home run, Burnette had a hit with a run scored, and Pinilla reached base all three times he was at the plate, producing two hits as well as being plunked on a hit by pitch. He also stole a base.

“In the past, we have had really good lineups but this is probably the best we have had in positions one through nine,” Hargis said. “Anyone in our lineup, except for maybe Diego, can hit the ball out of the park. The guys at the bottom of the lineup have been productive all season.”

Chase Gockenbach picked up the win as he threw all seven innings with seven strikeouts, one walk and three earned runs. At the plate, he went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

The Knights struck first as Blanton Cole led off the game with a solo homer but the Lions answered on Gockenbach’s RBI single that scored Eried Chang. Pinch runner Kieran McKee scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-1 after one.

The second inning was when LCA had their biggest output of the game, scoring three runs. Ford demolished a lead-off home run and Burnett and Pinilla followed with singles. Bryson Allen’s sac-fly scored a run and Cainan Crowe’s single to left brought Pinilla home.

After the Knights scored in the top of the third, Lakeway Christian answered in the fifth when Ricardo Madrid reached on an error, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Pinilla singled to center. Chang made the defensive play of the contest on an outstanding grab to rob what looked like a sure Providence hit.

Port Conger connected on a home run for the Knights but that was as close as the Johnson City visitors could get in the 6-3 Lions win.

LCA will take part in the Clinch River Challenge this week as they face off against South Doyle, William Blount and Maryville.