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Andalusia rebounds with one-run win over Geneva

Opp took an early lead behind a hot start and made it stand up for an 8-6 win at Andalusia in varsity baseball action on Friday, Feb. 28.

The victory kept the Bobcats undefeated at 6-0. The Bulldogs, which got back in the win column Monday night against Geneva, are now 3-4-1 on the season.

Opp 8, Andalusia 6
Riley Day and Cash Harrell opened the game with consecutive singles. Kielan Davis retired the next two batters, but Opp strung together some timely hitting and grabbed a 5-0 lead. A walk to Baylor Turman loaded the bases and set up an RBI single from Nolan Brown. Dawson Peacock cleared the bases with a three-run double before a free pass to Landon Langley. Will Jackson reached on an error as Peacock scored, and Davis ended the frame with a strikeout.

Connor Ray singled with two outs in the bottom of the first, but Harrell induced a groundout and left the score 5-0 after one.

Porter Nelson had a one-out single in the visiting second and scored when Brown launched a two-run homer and opened up a 7-0 cushion for the Bobcats. Asher Bentley coaxed a leadoff walk in the bottom half, while Row Thorn and Grover Wells singled and filled up the bases. After a force play at the plate, Mason Sheridan cashed in Thorn and Wells with a two-run single. Davis then reloaded the bases with another single, and the Bulldogs crept closer when Will Dalton and Sheridan scored due to an error that saw Riley Cravey reach. Harrell notched back-to-back strikeouts and left the 7-4 lead intact after two.

Both teams saw highlights in the next two innings despite neither breaking through. Harrell struck out the side on just 14 pitches in the bottom of the third. Mason Sheridan caught a fly ball in left and fired to Bentley at second base for a double play in the top of the fourth.

Opp added a crucial run in its half of the fifth when Grady Patterson lined out but drove home Jackson for an 8-4 lead. Andalusia refused to go away quietly and received RBI singles by Thorn and Dalton that cut the score to 8-6 after five.

The Bobcats were in business with a leadoff double by Turman and a walk to Brown in their half of the sixth. Despite both runners moving into scoring position, Tucker Ward posted a scoreless frame with three straight outs. The Bulldogs suffered the same fate against Nelson and still trailed 8-6 after six.

Harrell was the only base runner from either side in the seventh inning but was stranded at second. Nelson closed out the contest with a pair of strikeouts.

Brown was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Peacock went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored. Harrell earned the win and gave up five runs (two earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts in four innings. Nelson pitched the last three innings and picked up the save.

Thorn concluded the day 2-for- 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Sheridan finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Cravey had a 1-for-4 showing with two RBIs. Davis took the loss and allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. Charlie Walsh only had one unearned run and two hits on his stat line in 3 1/3 innings of relief.

Andalusia 4, Geneva 3
The Bulldogs bounced back at home on Monday night with a 4-3 win over Geneva.

Landen Butler opened the scoring with an RBI single that brought home Neillex Ferrell in the bottom of the first. Davis gave Andalusia a 2-0 lead with a two-out RBI single as Ocean Reeves scored.

The Panthers cut the deficit in half in the top of the second. Blake Wilson reached on an error and stole second. Jake Sullivan grounded out for the second out of the frame but cashed in Wilson and made the score 2-1.

After a scoreless third inning, Haze Ammons led off the visiting fourth with a single. Sullivan came through again and this time earned an RBI single. With the score now even at 2-2, the game slowed down with neither side threatening until the home sixth.

Butler started the bottom of the sixth with a walk. Following two outs, Davis brought the go-ahead run home for Andalusia with an RBI triple when courtesy runner Reeves scored. Ward reached on a mistake and gave the Bulldogs a much-needed insurance run to lead 4-2 after six innings.

The fourth run proved to be critical when Geneva mounted a rally in the top of the seventh. Brady Cox took first on a miscue and stole second. Jayceton Herring then sliced the gap to 4-3 with a two-out single. Judson Wise kept the game alive with another single as two runners were aboard. Bentley struck out Ammons for the final out as Andalusia held on.

Butler and Davis were each 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Bulldogs. Cravey earned the win and allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits with six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. Bentley was credited with the save.

Andalusia and Opp are both on the road Thursday, March 6. The Bobcats begin area play in Bullock County at 4 p.m., while the Bulldogs go to Brantley with first pitch set for 4:30 p.m.