Opp wins in nine to force 'if game'

By John Wallace

The Babe Ruth District Tournament resumed Tuesday with games moved to Johnson Park in Andalusia.

The Andalusia 13-year-old All-Stars blanked Opp 12-0 in six innings to earn a district title.

In the 15-year-old game, Opp scored three runs on three hits to claim a 3-2 win in the bottom of the ninth inning. Opp's win forced a winner-take-all game at 5:30 p.m. today.

ANDY WINS 13-YEAR-OLD DISTRICT TITLE

Andalusia's James Hogg pitched a complete game shutout in the district title game.

The Andalusia offense provided more than enough run support, scoring 12 runs in six innings for a 12-0 win via the 10-run rule.

Hogg allowed four hits and five walks while striking out eight in the win.

Andalusia went on top 2-0 in the top of the first inning when Brannon Bryan and Joe Kyser both scored. Brannon started the game with a leadoff single and Kyser reached base on a walk. Ryan Godwin drew a bases loaded walk to score Kyser after Bryan scored on a wild pitch.

Kyser and Jeffry Etheridge both scored in the top of the second inning to give Andalusia a 4-0 lead. Taylor Culbreth had an RBI-single in the inning.

The score remained 4-0 until the fourth inning when Etheridge, Culbreth and Nick Cooper scored. Hogg had a sacrifice fly to plate one run.

In the top of the sixth inning, Andalusia went on top 12-0 when Culbreth, Justin Ainsworth, Taylor Wrench, Hogg, Nathan Shirey and David Dove each scored. Wrench and Hogg had RBI-hits in the inning.

OPP ALL-STARS WIN

IN BOTTOM OF NINTH

The Opp 15-year-old Babe Ruth All-Stars only had three hits against Andalusia Tuesday, but that was enough to earn a 3-2 win in nine innings. The Opp victory sets up a rematch scheduled for 5:30 p.m. today with the winner earning the district title.

Opp went on top 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning when Garrett Parker scored after reaching on an error. He scored when Chandler McCulloch grounded out to the Andalusia first baseman.

Andalusia took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning when Curtis Johnson and Alex Taylor both scored on a two-RBI single into left field by Myles Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth turned on an 0-2 pitch and hit the ball to left allowing both runners to score.

Opp tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth when Rhett Barnes reached base on a two-base error by the third baseman. Barnes raced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Opp's first hit of the game when Andrew Weaver ripped a single.

The score remained tied at 2-2 until the bottom of the ninth inning when Hunter Langford scored the game-winning run.

Langford reached base on a double, went to third when Parker grounded out to short and scored on a swinging bunt single by McCulloch.

Langford was also the winning pitcher. He pitched one inning. He entered the game to start the top of the ninth inning on the mound and after William Alverson reached on an error and went to third on a sacrifice bunt got out of the jam with two outs.