The Andalusia Bulldogs secured a playoff spot by sweeping the Straughn Tigers Friday night in Andalusia.

 

ANDALUSIA 8, STRAUGHN 1

In the first game of the evening, the Bulldogs jumped out front 4-0 and held on for the win.

Garrett Davis reached on a dropped third strike and later came around to score the first run of the game when Riley Graham drew a walk.

Will Clark followed with a monster drive to the fence center that allowed Ethan Wilson and Hogan Nichols to score. Chandler Jones drove in the final run of the inning with a single to put the Bulldogs up 4-0.

Straughns’ only run of the game came when Barrett Bush scored on fielder’s choice off the bat of Campbell Hudson.

In the top of the sixth, Ethan Wilson drove in Davis and Jones to put Andalusia up 6-1.

The final runs of the game came in the top of the seventh when Will Jones and Nathan Langley scored.

Wilson picked up the win on the mound for the Bulldogs.

 

ANDALUSIA 17, STRAUGHN 7

Andalusia got a strong start in the bottom of the first to go on top 9-1 heading into the second inning.

The Bulldogs took advantage of a number of five errors committed by the Tigers in the opening frame.

Andalusia added two runs in the bottom of the second when Chase Hopkins drove in a pair with a single.

Straughn battled back with a pair of runs in the top third, including and RBI single from pitcher Shane Jones to cut Andalusia’s lead down to 11-3.

Chandler Jones came up as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the third and laced a two-RBI single down the third base line to put Andalusia up 13-3.

Straughn didn’t give up and tacked on four runs in the top of the fourth to make it 13-7.

The Bulldogs added two runs in the bottom of the fourth with a fielder’s choice and error off the bat of Hogan Nichols.

In the bottom of the fifth, Hopkins plated a run when he was plunked with the bases juiced.

Nichols ended the game with a walk-off single up the middle that allowed Nathan Langley to score the winning run from third.

“I’m extremely proud of the way we competed for seven innings in the first and five inning in the second game,” Andalusia head coach Tyler Dent said. “We really hit the ball well all day and Ethan (Wilson) and Sim (Bowden) did a great job on the mound. It’s easy to lose focus when you are up big, but we stayed focused a kept the pressure on them. That was just a really big win for us. I couldn’t be prouder of this team and this coaching staff. Now we just have to keep this going through Spring Break and into the playoffs.”