Grace Christian Academy’s baseball team got a long-awaited victory, and the Derry brothers played a big part in it.

All three of them.

Sophomore left-hander Treyson Derry threw a two-hitter over six and one-third innings, leading the Rams to a 7-3 victory at Christian Academy of Knoxville on Tuesday, April 1.

“We have a lot of respect for CAK and the program that coach (Tommy) Pharr has built over here,” GCA coach Brent Walsh said. “I think it’s been eight or nine years since we’ve beaten those guys, so it’s a great win for our program.”

Treyson Derry (3-1) gave up three runs (all earned), walked five, struck out nine and hit two batters. He was relieved with one out in the seventh by freshman right-hander Max Misenhimer, who allowed one hit and walked a batter.

“They’ve got a good club,” Pharr said. “Their guy (Treyson Derry) was awesome. He was phenomenal. I think we only had two hits off him and three for the game. You’re not going to win like that.”

Grace Christian Academy (10-5, 3-2 in Division II-A East Region) has only one senior, starting shortstop MaKai Derry.

Batting in the leadoff spot, MaKai Derry went 1 for 4 with a two-run single in the fifth, giving the Rams a 2-1 lead.

Treyson Derry, batting third in the lineup, was 1 for 3 with a two-run single in the seventh.

Kannon Derry, an eighth grader who played first base on Tuesday, went 1 for 3 and scored a run.

The Derry brothers transferred to GCA before the 2023-24 school year from Webb School of Knoxville.

“They’re a special group of young men,” Walsh said of the three brothers.

Misenhimer, who started at third base, went 2 for 4 with a double, RBI, and scored a run.

“It feels good,” MaKai Derry said of the win, “but we’re good this year and we expect to win every game we play.”

Senior right-hander Tyler Bennett (2-1) was the losing pitcher. The Tennessee Tech signee went six innings and gave up four hits and four runs (three earned), striking out three and walking three.

CAK (16-4, 3-2 Division II-A East) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Bennett, batting leadoff, drew a walk and later scored on Joey Sulish’s single up the middle.

Treyson Derry retired 11 of 12 batters from the first to the fifth innings, giving up a single to Brody Waller in the third inning.

“Going into warmups, I knew it was going to be a big game,” Treyson Derry said. “I was trying to stay calm and under control, knowing it was a big region game and we hadn’t beaten them in a while. I just knew I had to go out there and throw strikes and let my defense do the work.”

Bennett had a no-hitter and a 1-0 lead going into the fifth inning.

With one out, Keaton Nave drew a walk. One out later, Mason Pike hit a double down the first-base line, breaking up the no-hitter.

MaKai Derry followed with a two-run single up the middle for a 2-1 lead.

“The first two at-bats I was seeing it well,” MaKai Derry said. “I just barely missed it. The third at-bat, I went up there with confidence, knowing he was going to throw me a strike, and my job was to hit that strike in the hole.”

GCA scored twice in the sixth inning for a 4-1 lead; Nave had an RBI sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Bennett was relieved starting the seventh by senior right-hander Blake Jarrard, who gave up three hits and walked one.

Misenhimer had an RBI single in the Rams’ seventh after Treyson Derry’s two-run single.

“I thought our guys were just resilient tonight,” Walsh said. “We were down 1-0 until the fifth and then we started stringing together some hits. I’m just really proud that they don’t back down. They’re a resilient group.”

Treyson Derry struck out Alex Trimble starting the seventh inning, then gave up back-to-back walks to ninth-hitting Seaton Moffett and Bennett.

Misenhimer, the starting third baseman, entered in relief.

After walking Wyatt Jones, Misenhimer gave up a sacrifice fly to Waller and an RBI single to Sulish before ending the game with a groundout.

“I was getting a little tired deep in the game,” Treyson Derry said. “I was a little over 100 pitches. I was just trying to stay in the zone. I knew that my teammates would help me.”

GCA starts two eighth graders (Kannon Derry and second baseman Easton Housewright) and three freshmen.

“I love our young group,” Walsh said. “We have a ton of respect for CAK, so to get this win at their place is a really big deal.”

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