Post 80 wins district crown
Published 12:00 am Monday, July 14, 2003
The "if game" was needed, but the American Legion Post 80 squad won the district tournament being held at Andalusia High School with a 3-1 win against the Post 133 team late Sunday afternoon.
The Post 80 team, made up of players from the Covington County area, fell to the Post 133 team 7-3 in the first game on Sunday to force the "if game." The Post 133 team, made up of players from the Millbrook area, took a 3-1 lead in the third inning en route to the win.
Post 80 went on top 1-0 in the top of the first, but Post 133 tied the game up at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning. Post 80 scored one run in the top of the second. Post 133 answered with one run in the bottom half of the inning for a 4-2 lead.
It was 6-2 in favor of Post 133 after five inning, and 7-3 after six innings, as Post 133 held on for the win.
The winner of the "if game" would be the district champ and earn a trip to the state tournament being played in Huntsville beginning Wednesday.
Post 80 went with its ace send lefty Tyler Wilson to the mound for the deciding game. Wilson did not disappoint allowing just one run on four walks and two hits. He struck out two.
Post 80 broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning for a 2-0 lead. Trevor Mathews started the rally with a two-out single after Scotty McCraney was picked off. Justin Bracewell kept the rally alive by drawing a walk to put runners on first and second with two outs for Wilson. The Post 80 pitcher drew a walk to load the bases for shortstop Neal Patterson. A two-RBI double off Patterson's bat gave Post 80 a 2-0 lead.
The score remained 2-0 until the fifth inning when Post 133 scored one run. Byne Gooden started the rally for Post 133 with a line-drive triple into center field. He scored when Ceasar Jones grounded out to second.
Post 80 pushed its lead back to two runs with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Bracewell reached on an error, moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Wilson. Patterson once again had an RBI-hit with a bloop single.
Wilson's pitching, and solid defensive help behind him, shutdown Post 133 the rest of the way for a 3-1 win and a ticket to the state tournament.