Florala scores 6 in 4th, goes on to win 11-1 in 6

Florala scored six runs in the fourth inning and Wildcats sophomore pitcher Austin Franklin threw a gem in a 11-1 area victory over Red Level on Friday night.

In the fourth, FHS scored its six runs on four hits and one walk. What helped get momentum flowing was Levi Thames’ two-run home run in the third, giving the Wildcats a 4-1 advantage.

On the mound, Franklin struck out nine and allowed one run on two hits in six innings to get the win.

FHS baseball coach Bubba Nall said his defense played well behind Franklin.

“They hit the ball and put the ball in play against a good pitcher,” Nall said. “I felt like we played good defense, which is something we stress around here. Red Level’s got a good ball club, and they’re going to be something to be reckoned with. They play hard, they’re gutsy. I’m proud of our team to overcome a challenging start and good finish.”

Red Level scored in the top of the first on a hit by Hunter Carpenter, who had two hits for the Tigers.

After the opening inning, RLS did a good job of keeping the Wildcats on their toes despite losing the lead in the third when Florala’s Jordan Hartline hit an RBI ground out for a 1-1 tie.

In the fifth, the Wildcats had a good opportunity to go ahead and end the game on the mercy rule, but the Tigers weren’t going to let them.

RLS baseball coach Tony Ingram said his boys did a good job of stepping up and extending the game.

“It would’ve been easy to not play, and let them get that extra run and say let’s go home,” Ingram said. “They found a way and it was scoreless until the fifth inning. We’re proud of that. We’ll find positives when we can, and we’ll work on the negatives.”

Florala won the game on a called third strike swing. Hartline scored from third base on an overthrow from RLS catcher William Windham, who had to come in for starter Jack Dorman, who suffered a hip injury.

In the fourth, which started on Avery McNeill and Austin West’s back-to-back RBI singles. McNeill later scored on Stephen Ratliff’s fielder’s choice to get the game to 7-1.

The final three runs of the inning came when Brandon Russell was hit by a pitch with bases loaded, and a Hartline two-run single.

An inning earlier in the third, Franklin hit an RBI single, and Thames’ two-run shot came with two outs to give the Wildcats a 4-1 lead.

McNeill had two hits to lead FHS. West, Franklin and Thames had one hit each.

RLS is back in action on Tuesday in a doubleheader at New Brockton. Florala visits Rocky Bayou on March 31.