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Andalusia overcame an early first-inning deficit and claimed a 12-3 win over Straughn in varsity baseball action on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

The Tigers (0-2) struck first in the opening frame with two runs. Clark Gay singled with one out before Matt Ashberry walked and put runners at first and second. Grayson Bush drove home Gay with an RBI single to left, and Eli Melvin followed with a bunt single. JT Moreno reached on a fielder’s choice and brought Ashberry to the plate. Ace Carter walked and loaded the bases, but Riley Cravey escaped the threat and kept the score 2-0.

Kielan Davis led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run and brought the Bulldogs (1-2) within one. Cravey followed with a walk as Connor Ray singled. Courtesy runner Neillex Ferrell scored the tying run on an error, and Justin Rider kept the score tied at 2-2 after an inning.

Neither side scored in the second inning. Cravey worked around a one-out walk to Bush in the Straughn third and recorded two strikeouts. Andalusia grabbed momentum in the home half with four runs. Noah Curry delivered an RBI single, and Ray stole home. Asher Bentley extended the margin to three with an RBI single that plated Curry. Landen Butler earned a two-out RBI with a single and drove home Tucker Ward for a 6-2 lead after three innings.

Rider reached on a one-out miscue in the top of the fourth and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Hayden Brannon. Saxby Radford brought Rider to the plate with an RBI single and trimmed the deficit to 6-3. Aiden Joyner took over on the mound and struck out two as the score remained 6-3 after four innings.

Davis began the visiting fifth with a walk to Ashberry but induced a 6-4-3 double play and held the Tigers scoreless. Sawyer Hardy, Will Dalton, and Butler each walked and loaded the bases with one out. Mason Sheridan drew another walk and scored Hardy, while Davis brought Dalton home on a sacrifice fly. Ray sent Brayden Ware to the plate on a two-out free pass before Sheridan scored the tenth run on a passed ball as the Bulldogs took a 10-3 lead after five innings.

Carter walked with one out in the top of the sixth, but Davis held Straughn in check and struck out the side. Butler stretched the margin to 11-3 with a two-out RBI double as Ware scored the final run on a passed ball and gave Andalusia a 12-3 lead after six innings.

Gay picked up a one-out single in the top of the seventh, but Bentley ended the game with a lineout and a strikeout.

Butler finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Davis was 1-for-4 with two RBIs for the Bulldogs. Cravey earned the win and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits with four strikeouts in four innings.

Gay was 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Tigers, while Radford went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Rider took the loss and gave up six runs (five earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts in three innings.

Both teams return to action on Monday, Feb. 24. Andalusia will face Montgomery Catholic and St. James at Montgomery’s Paterson Field beginning at 3 p.m. Straughn will host Bullock County in an area doubleheader starting at 4:30 p.m.