Andalusia beat Straughn 7-5 in 1st game, in post season

Andalusia’s Grayson Campbell knew he had to pitch a good inning for the Bulldogs against Straughn on Tuesday night.

Campbell did that and more, striking out the last two batters to get the save in a 7-5 first-game victory over the Tigers.

With the first-game victory, AHS clinched its spot in the Class 4A state playoffs.

Straughn beat the Bulldogs 6-3 in the night cap to force the split.

AHS scored three runs in the sixth inning to break a 4-4 tie and held on late to beat the Tigers in that first game.

Andalusia will visit Ashford today, and if it wins against the Yellow Jackets and Headland loses in its area series against Ashford later this week, then the Bulldogs will be area champions. The first pitch for the area doubleheader is slated for 1:30 p.m. today.

The last time Andalusia was in the playoffs was in 2008.

Complete stats from the second game were not available when The Star-News went to press on Tuesday night.

Andalusia 7, Straughn 5 (Game 1)

Grayson Campbell hit a two-run double in the top of the sixth inning to score Zack Ward and Jud Rogers to give AHS the three-run lead for good.

Campbell also came through for the Bulldogs on the mound, coming in to get the save in the last inning.

Rogers Rogers pitched 2.2 innings, only allowing one earned run on one hit and striking out two to get the win for the Bulldogs.

Andalusia got off to a hot start in the first inning.

Quinton Maddox hit a two-run single to score Ward and Rogers, and then Campbell later scored on an error to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead with no outs.

Straughn bit back in a major way when they executed a rare triple play to get out of the inning.

Michael McCalman hit a grounder to second baseman Taylor Messick, who then threw Daniel Henderson out at second. From short stop, Owens threw McCalman out at first base; and then Gunner Wise threw Maddox out trying for home to complete the triple play.

The Tigers were pumped, and that was an understatement.

In the bottom half of the first, Straughn scored three runs as Zack Turvin and Doug Mosley came in on walks to Keith Edgar and Johnny Owens, respectively, to cut the game to 3-2.

Then, Lane Sirmon’s RBI single scored Chase Short to tie the game at 3-3. The Tigers’ three runs also came with no outs.

Starting pitcher Brett Hudson gave the Tigers a three-up, three-down inning in the top of the second to hold AHS at bay.

SHS broke the early tie in the bottom of the second when Edgar hit an RBI double to score Mosley.

After the Tigers scored their fourth run in the second, Andalusia held SHS scoreless for the next four innings until the seventh.

The Bulldogs tied the game back up on a Stewart Studstill RBI single in the fourth that scored McCalman.

The Bulldogs got a double play to end the sixth to help seal the deal over the Tigers.

Straughn scored one additional run in the seventh and had one in scoring position, but Campbell struck out the side to help get the win.

Campbell went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run to lead AHS. Studstill went 2-for-3 with one RBI.

Turvin went 2-for-3, and Sirmon went 2-for-4 to lead SHS.