Wild ending allows Briarwood to knock CCHS out of playoffs
Published 9:40 am Monday, April 21, 2014
The Briarwood dugout cheers and Chilton County High School catcher Jacob Skinner can only look on as the game-tying run scores in Saturday’s Game 2 of a best-of-three playoff series.
By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser
For the second straight year, Briarwood Christian brought a quick end to the Chilton County High School varsity baseball team’s playoff hopes by knocking off the Tigers in two straight games Saturday, 10-2 and 4-3, to take the best-of-three first-round series.
The visiting Lions (16-10 overall, 6-2 area) jumped out quickly on the Tigers, scoring three runs in the top half of the first inning.
Trenton Bishop started the Tigers (17-22, 7-2) off with a single up the middle in the bottom half of the second inning that led to a run-scoring single for Grant Deavers to cut the Lions’ lead to two runs, 3-1.
The Lions picked up four more runs in the top half of the fourth inning to take a 7-1 lead.
The Tigers went down in order for the second straight inning through the bottom half of the fourth inning.
One run in the top of the fifth and two in the top of the seventh left the Tigers facing a nine-run deficit going into the bottom of the seventh inning.
A single by Blake Teel scored Garren Minor, but that would be all the Tigers could muster and the Lions took Game 1, 10-2.
Chilton County High School shortstop J.D. Minor makes an out at second base on Saturday at Jack Hayes Field in Clanton.
CCHS had a better start to Game 2 with two runs in the top of the first inning. A Garren Minor single to the right side scored Bishop and Hunter Bennett to give the Tigers an early 2-0 lead.
With Teel handling the pitching, the Tigers retired the Lions in order through the next three innings.
J.D. Minor and Bishop reach base with singles in the fifth, but the Tigers were unable to capitalize and the lead remained 2-0 after five innings of play.
Briarwood loaded the bases in the bottom half of the sixth inning, but a strikeout by Teel allowed the Tigers to escape the inning with no harm done by the Lions.
A Jacob Skinner walk to start the top half of the seventh inning led to a run-scoring single for Bishop and gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh.
Briarwood began the inning with two straight singles, to be followed by a pop up out to the left side.
Another Lions single loaded the bases with one out, and Teel struck out the next Lions batter to knock Briarwood Christian down to its final out.
With two strikes on the batter, an infield ground ball to the second baseman looked to be the last out of the game. However, the throw to first base sailed past the Tigers first baseman, allowing three Lions to cross the plate.
The umpiring crew determined that the ball was ruled dead and allowed the baserunner two bases, meaning the batter came around to cross home plate for a shocking come-from-behind win for the Lions.
Teel pitched a complete game for the Tigers in Game 2, allowing one earned run on eight hits and two walks while striking out six batters.
Garren Minor went 2-for-3 with two singles and two RBI for the Tigers.
