The Andalusia Bulldogs needed only five innings to down the Brantley Bulldogs 16-0 Thursday night at home.

 

 

 

Hunter Earnest threw a two-hit shutout to lead the home Bulldogs to victory.

 

 

 

“I was really proud of the way Hunter threw the ball tonight,” Bulldogs’ head coach Tyler Dent said. “And that is the first game we haven’t had an error. Knock on wood.”

 

 

 

Andalusia opened the home half of the first with a hard rip to the left side of the infield from Riley Graham. Graham hustled down the line and forced a hurried throw that caused the first baseman to pull off the bag.

 

 

 

Graham moved up to second on a passed ball, and then Brayden Burkhardt drove a ball back up the middle for an RBI single to put Andalusia up 1-0.

 

 

 

The home team pushed the score to 2-0 when Earnest stroked the ball over of the head of the leftfielder for an RBI double that plated Burkhardt from first.

 

 

 

Andalusia plated another runner when Earnest scored on an error.

 

 

 

Devan McDuffie gave Andalusia a 4-0 lead with an RBI single to leftfield. Will Jones scored, and Taylor Griffin was thrown out at the plate to end the first inning.

 

 

 

Earnest set Brantley down in order in the top of the second, including a pair of strikeouts.

 

 

 

After Andalusia batted around in the first inning, Graham led off the second inning. Graham reached first by once again hustling down the line, and forcing a bad throw.

 

 

 

Burkhardt scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded, and Jones followed with an RBI single to give Andalusia a 6-0 lead.

 

 

 

Andalusia continued to hit the ball squarely, and Ashton Elmore hit a shot back up the center of the diamond that deflected of the pitchers glove. Elmore reached first with a hit and Todd Wright came around to score on the play.

 

 

 

McDuffie followed with a two-run single to give Andalusia a 9-0 lead.

 

 

 

The home squad breezed through the top of the third inning, sitting Brantley down in order. Ridge Riley and Burkhardt both made long throws from the left side of the infield to help guide the way for Andalusia.

 

 

 

Earnest, Wright and Jones reached to start to the bottom of the third, and then Griffin drove in two with an RBI single.

 

 

 

Riley put Andalusia up 12-0 with an RBI single that plated Jones.

 

 

 

Andalusia took a 14-0 lead on a two-RBI double from Burkhardt.

 

 

 

Andalusia got another run on an error, and Wright drove in the final run of the night for the home team with an RBI single.

 

 

 

Burkhardt went 2-for-3 with three RBIs on the night. Griffin went 2-for-2 with a walk, and two RBIs.

 

 

 

“We have been focusing on that this week,” Dent said of his team’s success at the plate. “We have to swing the bat well on hit-and-runs like we did tonight. That is how we are going to beat people, by doing the small things right.”

 

 

 

The Bulldogs will travel to Montgomery to take on Trinity on Saturday.

 

 

 

“They are a tough bunch up there,” Dent said. “They are well coached, and they always have a good program.”