The Covington County 14U Babe Ruth All-Stars eliminated Opp from the district tournament with a 3-2 win Tuesday night at Andalusia High School, and earned a rematch against Andalusia in tonight’s district championship game.

 

 

 

Both teams battled hard, but it was Opp that got on the scoreboard first in the top of the third inning. Jacob King roped a RBI single to put Opp up 1-0.

 

 

 

It didn’t take Covington County long to respond as Kade Green tied the game up 1-1 in the bottom of the third inning with run scoring single.

 

 

 

Brenden Douglas followed with a RBI hit of his own to give Covington County a 2-1 lead at the end of three innings of play.

 

 

 

In the top of the fifth inning, Brett Dorrill reached on error on Covington County’s first baseman, but was erased after Isaiah Putons grounded into a 6-4 fielder’s choice.

 

 

 

Consecutive walks to Trey Spurlin and Payton Childers loaded the bases for Opp, and Peyton Smith drove a single into right field to tie the game up 2-2. Opp looked like they might get another run off the hit after the right fielder’s throw home ended up at the backstop, but Opp’s runner on third never knew the ball got away as he stood on third with his back to home plate. This caused confusion on the base path for Smith, who broke for second but the runner occupying second base had no where to go forcing Smith to retreat back to first. Covington County catcher corralled the ball at the backstop and fired a bullet down to first that beat Smith to the bag by two steps for the final out of the inning.

 

 

 

In the bottom of the fifth inning, after Opp’s starting pitcher Spurlin struck out Adam Anderson to start the inning Chance Russell reached on single and represented the go-ahead run.

 

 

 

A single from Grant Lloyd moved then moved Russell over to third base, and a wild pitch that bounced in front of the plate and over the head of the Opp catcher allowed Russell to come into score to give Covington County a 3-2 advantage.

 

 

 

Spurlin then got back-to-back groundouts to end the inning.

 

 

 

In the top of the sixth, Opp got a leadoff single from Clay Ashberry, but Covington County pitcher Trystian Barber got the next three batters to pop out in the infield to smother the Opp threat.

 

 

 

In Covington County’s half of the sixth, Spurlin sat down the County in order on a popup and two groundouts.

 

 

 

In the top of the seventh inning, the Opp All-Stars were in desperate need of a run to avoid elimination, but Barber wasn’t budging and after giving up a one-out walk Barber responded by getting a groundout to second and a popup to second to end the game.

 

 

 

Covington County will now face Andalusia in the championship game tonight, but must beat Andalusia twice in order to win the district title.