Andalusia’s Jay Brewer pitched a shut out and a complete game to help lead the Bulldogs to a 9-0 area victory over top-ranked Straughn Thursday night at SHS.

Brewer’s shut out and complete game were the first for the Bulldogs this season, and he allowed only five hits and two walks in the win.

“Jay competed his tail off on the mound,” AHS head baseball coach Jonathan Rasberry said. “It’s great to see a kid come out there and want that baseball, and throw that kind of game.”

Rasberry added the defense behind Brewer played a “phenomenal” game Thursday night.

“To me, that’s how you play Andalusia baseball,” he said. “It’s great to see the kids have fun, get excited and play that type focused baseball we’ve been talking about — what we’ve been preaching to them.”

The Bulldogs (12-11, 2-3 in Class 4A, Area 3) put the game out of reach in the top of the fifth inning, where they scored five runs on four hits, while leaving no runners on base.

Brewer began the inning with a walk, quickly stole second base and later scored on an RBI single from senior Robert Woodall.

Zack Ward then hit a single to score Woodall to give Andalusia a 5-0 lead.

Then Dilan Manring, a senior, hit a two-run homer to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.

Straughn (21-5, 4-1) had plenty of opportunities to score in the contest, leaving 10 runners on base. Defensively, the Tigers had one error in the field.

“(Andalusia) played a good ball game,” SHS head baseball coach John Fussell said. “They hit the ball, they made good plays and we did, too. Defensively, we didn’t hurt ourselves.

“We had opportunites to score early, and even mid to the late through the game,” he said. “We just didn’t take advantage of it. We’ll play them (today), and we’ll be there.”

Straughn’s Josh Dewrell and Zack Stinson were 1-for-2 for the Tigers. Luke Fussell, Nick Allen and Cody Hughes also had one hit each.

Woodall scored the first run for Andalusia in the first inning on a put out by Manring.

The Bulldogs added two runs in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead on two hits.

Batting second in the third, Woodall reached on a single and later scored on an RBI double by Ward. Ward scored the third run in the inning on a wild pitch.

Manring led the Bulldogs with four RBIs. He had one hit in two at bats. Woodall was 3-for-4 with one RBI; Ward was 3-for-3 with one RBI; Maddox was 2-for-4 with one RBI; and Quinton Maddox was 0-for-3 with one RBI.

Andalusia will play host to Straughn tonight in the second game of the area series.

The first pitch is slated for 4:30 p.m.

Rasberry said the “job’s not finished” for the team.

“That’s what they’ve got to understand,” he said. “We’ve all got to understand that we’ve got games (today).

“Straughn’s a great baseball team,” he said. “We made plays today, and they didn’t. In baseball, (today) they could make all the plays. We’ve got to come back prepared, and keep the focus and have a chance to win another ball game.”