By Brian Millican | Special to the Advertiser

After rattling off four wins in a row and securing a spot in the state playoffs, Chilton County lost 19-11 to visiting Benjamin Russell on Monday in the final game of the regular season.

Although the Tigers’ bats stayed hot, the pitching staff did not have what it took to lead their team to victory.

The pitching staff surrendered 14 hits and gave up 14 earned runs.

The Tigers’ defense committed eight errors in the game that resulted in another five runs, and eventually a Chilton County defeat.

Down 3-0 in the bottom of the first, the Tigers responded with two runs of their own. Corbin Bice drove in Cade Hatch with a line drive double, and Hunter Bennett collected an RBI with a sacrifice fly that scored Bice from third.

The Wildcats added a run in the top of the second to take a two-run lead, but Chilton County responded with five runs and took the lead in the bottom half of the inning.

Hatch walked with the bases loaded to score Colby Ramsey from third. Bice then singled to drive in Tolliver Gilliland and tie the score at 4-all.

A bases loaded balk scored Gage Atcheson, and the Tigers took a 5-4 lead.

Still in the second inning, Dustin Cleckler drew a bases loaded walk that scored Hatch. Bice crossed the plate and gave the Tigers a 7-4 lead when Giquon Lane hit into a fielder’s choice.

No matter how hard the offense tried to keep the Tigers in this one, they just could not seem to score enough runs.

Other than in the sixth, every time the Tigers scored, Benjamin Russell came to bat and retook or added to its lead.

Following the Tigers’ five-run second inning, the Wildcats plated six in the top of the third to take a three run lead, and they added another eight runs in the top of the fourth.

Heading into the bottom of the fourth, the Tigers trailed 18-7 and were in danger of having the 10-run rule enforced on them.

In response, the Tigers put three more runs on the board. Cleckler singled to score Bice, Bennett scored on a wild pitch, and Cleckler scored when Gilliland grounded into a fielder’s choice.

At the end of four, the score was 18-10 in favor of Benjamin Russell.

The Wildcats scored a single run in the top of the fifth to take a nine-run lead.

Chilton County scored again in the bottom of the sixth, but the Wildcats had built an insurmountable lead at that point and won the game.

The Tigers finished the regular season with a record of 19-12. With an area record of 4-2, the Tigers earned a spot in the state playoffs and will play Park Crossing at Patterson Field in Montgomery on Friday.

The games are scheduled for 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. If necessary, a third game will be played on Saturday at noon.