By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

Billingsley advanced in the Class 1A State Baseball Playoffs with wins over host Verbena on Saturday.

After two scoreless innings to start Game 1, the Bears were the first to put points on the board with three runs in the top of the third inning.

Larry Starks started the inning with a leadoff single and scored on a RBI single by Drayton Dubose.

Noah Godwin reached after being hit by a pitch, Cole Donaldson singled and Logan Gilmore hit a two-run double to put the Bears up 3-0.

With the Red Devils going quietly through the third inning, Billingsley tacked on three more runs in the top half of the fourth.

Walker Motley started the inning by reaching safely on a Verbena error and was followed by Jamie Barnett, who was awarded first base after being hit by a pitch.

A two-out fly ball single by Drayton Dubose scored Motley while both Barnett and Dubose scored on a single by Godwin.

After four innings of play, the Bears led 6-0.

The Bears picked up two more runs in the top of the sixth, as Starks started things off with a walk and Eric Willis reached on a fielder’s choice.

Billingsley had two on with no outs and Dubose was hit by a pitch, a sacrifice fly by Godwin scored Starks and an error by Verbena allowed Landon Reed to score.

Trailing 8-0, the Red Devils got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the sixth with three runs of their own.

Justin Quinn got aboard with a walk, Dillion Walker reached on a fielders choice and a two-out single by Ja’Starza White scored Quinn.

Dakota Vessicchio cut the Billingsley lead to five with a two-run single.

A leadoff double by Motley set up an RBI single by Starks in the top of the seventh while a leadoff single by Verbena’s Cook in the bottom half of the inning was followed by three consecutive outs to bring Game 1 of the best of three series to a close.

Dubose led the Bears at the plate with a 2-for-2 performance with a pair of singles, two RBIs and a perfect on base percentage thanks to being hit by three pitches.

Willis got the start on the mound for Billingsley and threw six innings allowing three earned runs, on five hits and four walks, while striking out six batters.

The Red Devils were led at the plate in Game 1 by White who went 2-for-3 with a single, a double and an RBI.

Mims threw a complete game for Verbena and struck out seven while allowing six earned runs on 10 hits and two walks.

Tristen Short started Game 2 with a leadoff single, but three straight strikeouts by Billingsley pitcher Jamie Barnett brought the inning to a close.

The Bears meanwhile picked up four runs in the bottom half of the inning thanks to five walks and a hit batter.

After one, Verbena trailed 4-0.

The Red Devils picked up two runs in the top of the second, when a one-out walk to Mims helped set up a two-run home run by White which cut the Billingsley lead to two.

Billingsley answered with two runs of their own.

Dubose once again was hit by a pitch, while Godwin followed with a single. Dubose later scored on a ball out thrown out of play and a ground ball by Donaldson scored Godwin to move the Billingsley lead back to four, 6-2.

A single by Walker and a fielder’s choice to Mims did nothing to help the Verbena cause while a five run bottom of the third put the Bears way out in front.

A bases loaded walk to Dubose plated one run and the Bears picked up another on a RBI single by Godwin.

Dubose scored on a wild pitch while a two-run single by Logan Gilmore grew the Billingsley lead 11-2.

Verbena found new life in the top of the fourth inning, as a one-out single by Eric Mims got things going and an RBI single by White scored Mims.

A single by Bryan Rasberry along with a walk to Vessicchio set up an RBI single by Short and a two-run double to deep left center scored two for Verbena, as the Red Devils trailed 11-6.

A leadoff walk to Motley and a two-out single up the middle by Willis took the game to the fifth with Billingsley leading 12-6.

No help for Verbena in the top of the fifth inning allowed the Bears to extend their lead by two more in the home half of the inning.

A leadoff single by Donaldson and a walk by Gilmore led to a run scoring error by Verbena off the bat of Motley to score Donaldson and a bases loaded walk to Starks plated another Billingsley run.

Going to the sixth, Billingsley led 14-6.

A leadoff single by Bryan Rasberry in the top of the sixth later saw Raspberry score on a passed ball at the plate to make the score 14-7.

Verbena picked up one more on a single by White in the top of the seventh but it was a little to late as the Bears secured the win.

Godwin led the Bears at the plate in Game 2 with a 2-for-3 performance with two singles, an RBI and two walks.

Barnett threw a complete game with eight strikeouts while allowing seven earned runs on nine hits and five walks.

White led Verbena at the plate by going 2-for-4 with a single, a home run, and four RBIs.

Cook got the start on the mound and pitched a complete six innings while allowing 10 earned runs on eight hits and 11 walks. He struck out seven Billinsgley batters.

With the win, Billingsley advances to face the Maplesville Red Devils in a second-round matchup on the road.