Bobcats blast three homers in 16-1 home win over Andalusia

Published 11:00 am Thursday, March 30, 2023

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Opp hit three home runs and slugged its way to a 16-1 win over Andalusia in varsity baseball action Saturday, March 25.

The Bobcats won their seventh straight game and improved their record to 10-8. The Bulldogs dropped to 13-5 on the year.

Conner Brooks, Parker Adams, and Jack Lathrop each earned a single in the first inning as AHS loaded the bases with two outs. Colby Ballard avoided early trouble when Garrett Blackston hit into a force play. Terry Davis began the bottom half with a homer for a 1-0 lead. Riley Day was hit by a pitch before Andrew Danford reached on an error. Nelson Hall followed with a walk and loaded the bases. John Helms was also beaned and drove home Day. Ballard grounded out to second but scored Danford. Nolan Brown delivered a long three-run blast for OHS and cashed in courtesy runner Zeb Green and Helms. Davis lined an RBI double and plated Grady Patterson for a 7-0 lead after one inning.

Ballard worked around a one-out walk to Mason Meeks in the visiting second before the hosts erupted with another seven-run frame. Danford led off with another home run. Hall stroked a double as Green scored on an RBI single from Helms. Patterson knocked a two-run single after two hit batters. Day brought A.J. Coleman home with a single, while Danford and Helms tallied RBIs on a hit by pitch and walk that took the lead to 14-0 with two innings complete.

Tycamren Jackson opened the third with a walk and stole second with two outs. Lathrop put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with an RBI single and sent Jackson home. Patterson earned a free pass in the home half, but reliever Dylan Jackson sent the contest to the fourth with a scoreless inning. D. Jackson singled, and Meeks walked and set up two runners aboard. The rally never came to fruition as a 6-4-3 double play and flyout ended the threat. The Bobcats scored their final two runs on a bases-loaded hit by pitch and an RBI single by Brown. D. Jackson caught Coleman and Hank Messer looking at strike three for a 16-1 lead after four. Ballard finished the game with a 15-pitch top of the fifth and retired the side in order.

Brown went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Davis was also 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs. Helms had a 1-for-1 showing with two runs scored and three RBIs. Ballard earned the win with one earned run on five hits allowed and struck out four.

Lathrop finished 2-for-2 with an RBI, while D. Jackson went 1-for-2. Brooks and Adams were both 1-for-3. Riley Cravey took the loss and gave up six runs (five earned) on two hits in 1/3 inning.

Opp visits Slocomb for a single varsity game Monday, April 3, at 5 p.m. Andalusia travels to Paxton, FL in a JV/varsity doubleheader Tuesday, April 4, beginning at 4 p.m.